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First Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
US-Pakistan bonhomie: Why India should not be surprised
It's no surprise that Pakistan may once again become a frontline state in US strategy for the South and West Asian region — and America's ties with India could suffer collateral damage read more Should India be surprised by the latest turn in US-Pakistan relations under the Trump 2.0 administration? Analysts of Indo-US relations have often characterised this relationship as the one with 'ups and downs' or 'peaks and valleys', particularly during four decades of the Cold War. But US-Pakistan relations have witnessed more extensive fluctuations in history, and that pattern continues until today. Pakistan is yet to learn lessons from the extreme oscillations of its ties with the United States, and currently Islamabad seems excessively jubilant over the latest turn in its ties with the Trump White House. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD President Donald Trump, who had accused Pakistan of offering nothing but 'lies and deceits', is all praise for the Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir. He truly honoured a terror-sponsoring field marshal by hosting lunch for him in the White House—a rare gesture in US history—and thanked him for ending Pakistan's war against India that could have gone nuclear. There is recorded evidence that it was the Pakistani Army's DGMO who called India's DGMO requesting 'ceasefire'. Field Marshal Munir has openly expressed President Trump's intervention in ending the armed conflict and even suggested that Trump should be awarded the coveted Nobel Peace Prize. What he has not revealed is Pakistan's SOS call to Washington to push for a ceasefire with India after the Indian military not only destroyed several terror camps in Pakistan but also severely damaged Pakistani military bases. When advised by Washington to speak to the Indian side and ask for a ceasefire, Pakistan's DGMO did that. President Trump is right that he played a role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire, but that role was confined to giving sane advice to Islamabad to seek a ceasefire agreement. India thus is right as well in repeatedly asserting that the ceasefire agreement was the outcome of conversations between the DGMOs of the two countries and it was not because of any mediation by Washington. The whole irony of the Trump-Munir luncheon meeting lies in the fact that it took place so soon after the Pahalgam attacks by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists that forced India to punish the terrorists and their sponsors. It was wise on the part of President Trump to advise Pakistan to seek a ceasefire agreement with India, but it was ill-advised on his part to sing praise of Pakistan's contribution to counterterrorism efforts. First, the CENTCOM head General Michael Kurilla described Pakistan as a 'phenomenal' counterterrorism partner in his Congressional testimony. Now the president of the US bestows all praise on the Pakistani field marshal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Washington is well aware of Pakistani duplicity in counterterrorism operations undertaken by the US in Afghanistan. How Pakistan under General Pervez Musharraf was taking billions of dollars of economic and military assistance from the United States and diverting some of the wealth to strengthen the anti-Western Haqqani network in Afghanistan is not unknown to the policy community in the US. How a Pakistani nuclear scientist once visited Al Qaeda supremo Osama bin Laden in the caves of Afghanistan is also not a secret. Nor is the place where Osama bin Laden was hiding, and the Obama administration captured him without informing Islamabad and by violating Pakistani sovereignty, also known to the world. That even a few American citizens were killed in the Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai could not have been an unfamiliar event to the Trump advisors. Why is there then this renewed praise for Pakistan's contribution to counterterrorism so soon after the Pakistani hand in the brutal and inhuman terror attacks in Pahalgam? It is because the Trump administration may need Pakistan's endorsement for probable US military intervention in Iran. Pakistan's memory of its engagements with the US is too short. It willingly joined the US-backed regional collective security groupings, such as CENTO and SEATO, and soon found that these two alliances were of no use in its anti-India misadventures in 1965 or 1971. Pakistan played the key role of being a conduit for America in its anti-Soviet proxy war for 10 years in Afghanistan, from 1979 to 1989, only to be abandoned after the Soviet withdrawal of troops in 1989. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan expected the US to quietly look the other way at its clandestine nuclear activities for serving so well the US interests in Afghanistan in the 1980s. But Washington imposed the Pressler Amendment and cut off all assistance to Pakistan after the end of Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan. Pakistan went to the extent of offering its troops for US operations during the Kuwaiti crisis of 1990-1991 with the hope that Washington would show leniency on nuclear issues. But it failed in its attempt. The US used Pakistan as a frontline state as long as its troops remained in Afghanistan until their full withdrawal by the Biden administration. But after the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Pakistan's strategic relevance ended, and it was almost abandoned by the US. President Joe Biden described Pakistan as the 'most dangerous' country in the world. Pakistan has learnt no lesson, and yet again it seems to be offering its help for any probable military operations in Iran by the Trump administration. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It is clear that the Iran-Israel war figured prominently in the conversation between Pakistan's strongman and President Trump. In Trump's views, Pakistan knows a lot about Iran. Pakistan's knowledge about Iran could be useful to any future American intervention in Iran. After all, Pakistan shares about 900 km of border with Iran. Pakistan would prefer to have a monopoly over the 'Islamic Bomb', and that would be possible if Iran's ability to go nuclear is erased. In the game of periodic mutual love and hate, friend and foe, and embrace and divorce equations between Pakistan and the United States, India faces the collateral damage, and it should take timely steps to safeguard its national security. There is thus no surprise that Pakistan may yet again become a frontline state for the US strategy in the South and West Asian region. The author is founding chairperson, Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies, and editor, India Quarterly. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Trump-Munir meet embarrassing for Pak, its PM wasn't invited: Defence Secretary
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh said that the White House meeting between US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir was an embarrassment for Islamabad as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was not invited to the meeting with Trump marked a rare instance where a country's military chief was exclusively invited by a sitting US President. The meeting also signified the fact that the Pakistani military call the shots in the neighbouring country. advertisement"I don't have a great opinion on this (Trump-Munir meeting). It is surprising to me. It must be an embarrassment to any country that the military chief gets invited and the prime minister is nowhere to be seen. It's a very strange thing," he told news agency ANI in a podcast. Wednesday's meeting between Trump and Munir featured Lt Gen Asim Malik, who also serves as Pakistan's national security advisor, and no other leader from the civilian government was present. This was the first such meeting between a high-ranking Pakistani military chief and a sitting US President since India's Operation to the White House, Trump hosted Munir after he backed the US President to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing what could have become a nuclear war between India and Trump has claimed several times that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, New Delhi has maintained that the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries agreed to an understanding ceasing all military hostilities and no third party was involved in before the Trump-Munir meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a 35-minute phone call with Trump to firmly clarify that the ceasefire following the May 7-10 military standoff had been achieved through direct communication between the Indian and Pakistani militaries - not through any external Singh said, "I have always found it strange that this gentleman sits on something called an investment facilitation council in Pakistan, which takes economic decisions. It's a weird, structurally imbalanced state where the military essentially has first claim on resources."The Defence Secretary underlined that India should continue to establish some level of deterrence towards between the arch-rivals nosedived following the Pahalgam terror attack, India's diplomatic measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and the four-day conflict between the nuclear-armed Delhi has made it clear that terror and talks cannot go together and has repeatedly flagged Islamabad's support for terror outfits operating on its soil and launching cross-border Watch IN THIS STORY#Donald Trump#Pakistan#India-Pakistan
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Congenital Liar': BJP Hits Back After 'Triple Jhatka' Swipe By Congress Over Modi-Trump Phone Call
Last Updated: Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said US President Donald Trump's invitation to Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir is a "setback for Indian diplomacy" Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's 'triple jhatka' swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, has triggered a social media war with the BJP accusing the senior politician of being a 'congenital liar – much like Rahul Gandhi". Addressing the phone conversation between Modi and Trump, Jairam Ramesh said the US President's invitation to Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir is a 'setback for Indian diplomacy" while the central government is 'quiet" over the issue. Field Marshall Asim Munir, the man whose inflammatory, incendiary and provocative remarks were linked directly to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks, is having lunch today with President Trump in the White House. Is this why President Trump abandoned the G7 Summit a day early…— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 18, 2025 Expressing his discontent, Ramesh said there is a world of a difference between India's note (on the phone conversation) and the note by US. 'You are saying this, he said that…then why not call an all-party meeting?" he asked. The BJP's IT cell head, Amit Malviya, rebutted his claims on the US note. 'Jairam Ramesh is a congenital liar — much like Rahul Gandhi. He is now peddling yet another falsehood, claiming that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's statement doesn't match the US readout – while dramatically waving his phone around. But here is the catch: the readout he is citing is from January 2025! And there is no official US release yet on the latest call," Malviya wrote on X. Jairam Ramesh is a congenital liar — much like Rahul is now peddling yet another falsehood, claiming that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's statement doesn't match the U.S. readout — while dramatically waving his phone here is the catch: the readout he is… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 18, 2025 'The Congress and its troll army simply can't digest the fact that Prime Minister Modi told President Trump in clear terms — India neither needs nor accepts any third-party mediation. The de-escalation with Pakistan happened through DGMOs, and at Pakistan's own request, Congress must stop maligning India's firm and principled foreign policy just to feed its petty narratives," he added. 'Under Congress, India was seen as a weak, third-world country. Today, India is a rising power — a bright star in the global order. No amount of lies can dim that truth." Malviya said Ramesh is known for 'peddling fake narratives" and even people in his own party have admitted to the same. 'But this time, he has been caught with his hand in the till! Look closely till 1:40 PM — US Embassy spokesperson Christopher Elms clearly states there has been NO READOUT from the meeting. So here is the big question: If the US Embassy itself denied any readout, then where did Congress get their fake 'readout" from? Answer: They manufactured it out of thin air," he wrote in another post on X. Jairam Ramesh has long been known for peddling fake narratives — even many within his own party have admitted it openly. But this time, he has been caught with his hand in the till!Look closely till 1:40 PM — US Embassy spokesperson Christopher Elms clearly states there has… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 18, 2025 Calling it a 'serious breach of diplomatic protocol", he said the Congress has actively tried to 'sabotage" India's foreign policy efforts during a critical time. 'This isn't just a lie — it is a serious breach of diplomatic protocol. Congress falsely attributed statements to a foreign government. It actively tried to sabotage India's foreign policy efforts during a critical time. This is not politics — This is sabotage. This is treason. This is the Congress party," he added. ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????? – ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????. #PMModiAtG7 — BJP (@BJP4India) June 18, 2025 Earlier in the day, during their 35-minute conversation on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada, Modi briefed Trump on Operation Sindoor and firmly conveyed the message that India has never accepted and will never accept mediation on the issues with Pakistan. Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 18, 2025, 18:47 IST News politics 'Congenital Liar': BJP Hits Back After 'Triple Jhatka' Swipe By Congress Over Modi-Trump Phone Call
Hindustan Times
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai promoted as army deputy chief
Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, the face of the army during Operation Sindoor, has been promoted as the deputy chief of army staff (strategy) and will continue to hold the post of director general military operations (DGMO), officials aware of the matter said on Monday. Ghai was among the top officials who briefed the media after the four-day military clash with Pakistan under Operation Sindoor --- India's strikes on terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) following the Pahalgam terror strike in which 26 people were shot dead. The verticals that will come under him in the new role include military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and information warfare, the officials said, asking not to be named. Last week, President Droupadi Murmu awarded Ghai the Uttam Yudh Seva Medal for distinguished service during conflict, a recognition of his work as the commander of Srinagar-based HQs 15 Corps. Ghai, along with his air force and navy counterparts, briefed the media twice, on May 11 and 12. The understanding between India and Pakistan to cease military hostilities was announced on May 10 evening, after Ghai and his Pakistani counterpart Major General Kashif Abdullah talked over the hotline and agreed to stop all military actions against each other --- on land, in the air and sea. The two DGMOs spoke again on May 12 to uphold the truce. The confidence building measures then discussed included continuing the May 10 commitment that both sides 'must not fire a single shot' or initiate any aggressive action against each other and consider troop reduction in forward areas. Between the launch of the operation in the early hours of May 7 and the ceasefire on the evening of May 10, Indian forces bombed nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK and killed at least 100 terrorists, and the Indian Air Force struck targets at 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations. Last week, it emerged that India's targeting of locations within Pakistan during the May 7-10 clash was more extensive than was previously known, with a Pakistani document acknowledging that Indian drones had struck locations ranging from Peshawar in the northwest to Hyderabad in the south. Pakistan's Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, which was mounted in response to Operation Sindoor, 'folded in eight hours' on May 10 belying Islamabad's ambitious target of bringing India to its knees in 48 hours, chief of defence staff General Anil Chauhan said on June 3. In the May 11 briefing, Ghai said Indian forces had exercised immense restraint and their actions were 'focused, measured and non-escalatory,' but any threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity, or safety of the country's citizens will be met with decisive force.
The Print
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
CDS speaks out on Op Sindoor—from nuclear to losses & disinformation to Chinese role
'At independence, Pakistan was ahead by many metrics; today, India leads in GDP, social harmony, and development. That progress reflects a long-term strategy. Diplomatic outreach has occurred—such as the PM's 2014 invitation to Nawaz Sharif—but reciprocation is lacking. In such cases, strategic disengagement is itself a considered response,' he said. He also spoke on India-Pakistan relationship and rejected the idea of 'strategic aimlessness'. New Delhi: Underlining that India retained full operational clarity and autonomy during Operation Sindoor regardless of broader geopolitical currents, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said what unfolded was a non-contact, multi-domain conflict involving both kinetic and non-kinetic elements which exemplifies the future of warfare. Addressing military leaders from across the world at the IISS-organised Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in a closed door session Friday, he said the military is seen as a rational actor when it comes to nuclear escalation and added that nuclear escalation in undeclared wars was illogical. He said that prolonged mobilisation without combat imposes a significant cost. 'That's why India disengages swiftly post-operations. Prolonged wars hinder national development—something adversaries may aim to disrupt,' he said talking about the short and swift conflict. Importantly, in his address, the CDS noted that while Pakistan may have leveraged Chinese commercial satellite imagery, there is no proof of real-time targeting support. This is significant because the CDS has said that what was available to Pakistan was commercial satellite pictures and not any active Chinese military inputs. 'India, by contrast, relied on indigenous systems like Akash, achieving success through effective system networking, integrating both domestic and foreign radars into a cohesive defence structure,' he said. He also spoke about the disinformation warfare unleashed by the Pakistani military and noted that '15 percent of operational time was spent countering fake narratives, underlining the need for a dedicated information warfare vertical'. 'India's strategy emphasized fact-based communication even at the cost of slower responses. Initially, two women officers served as spokespeople while the senior leadership was engaged in operations. Only after the 10th May did the DGMOs brief the media,' he said. The CDS also spoke on losses and said 'no war is without cost—but what matters is how one responds. India responded effectively within three days, without further escalation' On the issue of automation and robotics, Gen Chauhan warned that reducing the human cost of war may increase the likelihood of conflict escalation. 'When fewer lives are at risk, decision-makers may act more aggressively. This shift presents serious ethical and strategic challenges,' he said. The CDS noted that the modern warfare is undergoing a complex convergence—of tactics, domains (land, air, sea, cyber, space), time frames and strategies. On the issue of cyber operations, he said it played a limited role. 'While there were some denial-of-service attacks, India's air-gapped military systems remained secure. Public platforms faced minor disruptions, but operational systems were unaffected,' he said. Regarding space and satellite intelligence, he reiterated that commercial access is available to all. 'India relied on its own capabilities, while adversaries may have sought help from allies—but real-time coordination remains unconfirmed.' Gen Chauhan pointed out that India's focus on indigenous platforms, like Akash, and self-reliant networking infrastructure has paid off. Integration of diverse radars into a unified air defence system was a key success, he underlined. Turning to the Indian Ocean Region, particularly the northern Bay of Bengal, where geography and geopolitics constrain India's movement north (due to China) and east (due to Myanmar), he said the sea becomes India's strategic outlet. 'Though continental, India functions like an island nation, with its island territories providing depth. New concerns have emerged, but the view is expanding southward to secure broader maritime interests,' he said. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: What's a National Security Strategy & why CDS Gen Chauhan feels India doesn't need one on paper
