EDITORIAL: While Donald Trump’s foreign policy has deviated sharply from that of his predecessors in many respects, the one area of some continuity is likely to be Washington’s approach to South Asia.
Over the last four years, the Biden Administration sought to counter China’s expanding influence in the region by strengthening ties with India, positioning it as a strategic counterweight.
President Trump’s warm reception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington last week signals that this strategy will likely persist.
Although President Trump had expressed reservations over India’s high tariffs on American imports and the country being a huge source of illegal immigration to the US, both leaders largely sidestepped contentious issues, at least in public, and instead announced plans for deeper collaboration in several areas.
For Pakistan, the significant concern here is that in its bid to counter China, the Trump Administration may adopt an even more pro-India stance than its predecessor, potentially sidelining Islamabad further in an effort to appease New Delhi.
The US-India joint statement issued following PM Modi’s visit carries major security implications, sparking concerns in Pakistan that it reinforces India’s narrative while disregarding Islamabad’s counterterrorism efforts, and potentially disrupting regional dynamics.
The statement had pressed Pakistan to “bring to justice” those responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks and the Pathankot incident, and prevent cross-border terrorism. The Foreign Office’s (FO’s) response has been strong and swift, terming the statement as “one-sided” and “misleading”.
The FO also rightly highlighted India’s sponsoring of terror elements, its recent campaign of extrajudicial assassinations in the region and beyond, and it increasingly becoming a safe haven for perpetrators of hate crimes against minorities.
Unsurprisingly, all these issues did not become points of discussion during the Trump-Modi meeting given the American president’s well known contempt for tenets of international law and democratic norms.
The deepening US-India military partnership is also a cause for concern, with both nations agreeing to sign a 10-year “Framework for the US-India Major Defense Partnership in the 21st Century”.
This agreement could position India as a major recipient of advanced American military technologies. In this context, the US offer to supply F-35 jets to India may only mark the beginning of a broader strategic alignment, further tilting the regional balance of power in our neighbour’s favour.
Beyond these more visible developments, the appointment of pro-India figures to senior positions in the Trump Administration signals a growing US alignment with New Delhi’s strategic interests. In fact, these appointments and nominations haven’t just been pro-India; some of these have been overtly anti-Pakistan.
The nomination of S Paul Kapur, an Indian-origin scholar and staunch critic of Pakistan, as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, is a case in point. Kapur’s views on Pakistan’s security policies could lead to a harsher US stance on crucial financial aid and diplomatic engagement in several areas, forcing the security establishment to reassess its strategies or risk economic isolation, something Pakistan can ill-afford.
Previously, Mike Waltz, the former co-chair of the Indian Caucus in Congress, was appointed the National Security Adviser while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has always robustly advocated propping up India to counter Chinese influence.
Navigating ties with the Trump administration requires a delicate balance — safeguarding our economic and military interests without provoking a president known for unpredictability. With even America’s closest allies struggling to adapt to this shifting geopolitical landscape, the challenge for our government, diplomats and security establishment will be even greater.
Deft diplomacy, strategic caution and much-needed unity among the political class — sorely lacking at this point with the PTI-allied diaspora actively lobbying Congress to challenge the political status quo at home — will be essential in the uncertain times ahead.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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