Trump's Pakistan Ties Under Scrutiny After India-US Defence Pact
The recent India-US 10-year defence pact has raised questions about the future of Donald Trump's close relationship with Pakistan and its army chief Asim Munir. Trump's administration has recently strengthened ties with Pakistan, but his simultaneous punitive trade actions against India and deepening US-India defence cooperation create uncertainty for Pakistan's strategic position.
The article examines the implications of the new 10-year US-India defence framework signed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. This pact comes amid a notable warming of US-Pakistan relations under President Donald Trump, highlighted by high-profile meetings with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir, as well as economic and strategic cooperation. However, Trump's recent punitive tariffs on Indian oil imports and increased H1-B visa fees contrast with his outreach to Pakistan, including offers to help extract crude oil and accept rare earth mineral deposits from Balochistan. Pakistan has reciprocated by joining a cryptocurrency venture linked to Trump's family. The article questions whether Trump will maintain his current bonhomie with Pakistan given the strengthened US-India defence partnership, which is seen as a strategic move to counter China in the Indo-Pacific. The shifting dynamics in South Asia prompt Islamabad to reassess its future relationship with Washington, especially as the US appears to balance its interests between India and Pakistan.
