The three-day Agra Summit represented the most significant diplomatic encounter between India and Pakistan in recent years.

However, President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee could not even arrive at an agreement on a joint statement describing the talks. It is known a disagreement over Kashmir led to the breakdown.

Ever since the partition of the sub-continent along largely religious lines, the two countries have been bitter rivals. Their animosity has escalated into an arms race resulting in nuclear capability on both sides.

There are opportunities to pick up the pieces after Agra. The two leaders are to meet at the United Nations later this year and Vajpayee's acceptance of the invitation to visit Pakistan still stands.