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First Post
a day 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
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Then came Trump & his startling U-turns
US foreign policy under recent presidents has been marked by dramatic shifts, particularly concerning Iran, Pakistan, and India. Trump's approach has been especially unpredictable, reversing established positions and praising authoritarian leaders, contrasting sharply with his predecessors' strategies. This inconsistency raises concerns about the stability and reliability of US relationships on the global stage. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of .) Almost a decade ago, the Barack Obama administration and Iran struck a nuclear pact, but it was overturned soon after Donald Trump became the US President. The fusion was brief. Joe Biden tried to revive it, but he didn't succeed. The US-Iran relationship went from bad to worse. Then came Trump, who was now eyeing nuclear harmony. But suddenly, Israel entered the scene, creating added fission and justifying that two's company, three's a crowd. With Pakistan, the Obama administration maintained strategic ties despite tensions over some terrorist groups and even pumped in billions of dollars in aid. Then came Trump, thundering that Pakistan was lying, deceiving and 'housing…the very terrorists that we are fighting'. The Biden-led US continued with the Trump-I line of thinking — of limited engagement with Pakistan. But, in an out-of-theblue U-turn, Trump started praising Pakistan and hunting for trade across the Radcliffe Line. In fact, a top US general declared that Pakistan was a 'phenomenal counterterrorism partner'.What an incredible change of heart! That too when Pakistani handlers executed the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Closer to home, Obama's tenure strengthened Indo-US relationship and the Trump administration gave it a strategic rotation. Biden's period saw steady progress in ties in spite of a few hiccups. Then Trump reappeared. To say the least, his or his administration's actions have been embarrassing India quite frequently. It appears as if Trump wants to build relationships on shifting sands. Surprisingly, Trump's approach towards not-so democratic landmasses — West Asia, Russia, China, Hungry, North Korea, etc — has been consistent. Just a few days ago, he was seen mollycoddling Syrian interim president, a former Islamist militant with ties to Al Qaeda. Trump's praise for authoritarian leaders and his absolutist ambitions are well-documented. In this context, former US President George W Bush's remark appears so apt: 'If this were a dictatorship it would be a heck of a lot easier... As long as I'm the dictator. Hehehe.
Economic Times
7 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Then came Trump & his startling U-turns
Then came Trump & his startling U-turns Almost a decade ago, the Barack Obama administration and Iran struck a nuclear pact, but it was overturned soon after Donald Trump became the US President. The fusion was brief. Joe Biden tried to revive it, but he didn't succeed. The US-Iran relationship went from bad to worse. Then came Trump, who was now eyeing nuclear harmony. But suddenly, Israel entered the scene, creating added fission and justifying that two's company, three's a crowd. With Pakistan, the Obama administration maintained strategic ties despite tensions over some terrorist groups and even pumped in billions of dollars in aid. Then came Trump, thundering that Pakistan was lying, deceiving and 'housing…the very terrorists that we are fighting'. The Biden-led US continued with the Trump-I line of thinking — of limited engagement with Pakistan. But, in an out-of-theblue U-turn, Trump started praising Pakistan and hunting for trade across the Radcliffe Line. In fact, a top US general declared that Pakistan was a 'phenomenal counterterrorism partner'. What an incredible change of heart! That too when Pakistani handlers executed the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Closer to home, Obama's tenure strengthened Indo-US relationship and the Trump administration gave it a strategic rotation. Biden's period saw steady progress in ties in spite of a few hiccups. Then Trump reappeared. To say the least, his or his administration's actions have been embarrassing India quite frequently. It appears as if Trump wants to build relationships on shifting sands. Surprisingly, Trump's approach towards not-so democratic landmasses — West Asia, Russia, China, Hungry, North Korea, etc — has been consistent. Just a few days ago, he was seen mollycoddling Syrian interim president, a former Islamist militant with ties to Al Qaeda. Trump's praise for authoritarian leaders and his absolutist ambitions are well-documented. In this context, former US President George W Bush's remark appears so apt: 'If this were a dictatorship it would be a heck of a lot easier... As long as I'm the dictator. Hehehe.
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First Post
10-06-2025
- Science
- First Post
From test pilot to astronaut: How Shubanshu Shukla becomes first Indian to travel to ISS
IAF Group Captain Shubanshu Shukla, 39, is set to pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Wednesday (June 11) from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of Nasa's Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). But how did Shukla go from flying aircraft to becoming an astronaut? read more Shubhanshu Shukla was named the 'Prime' astronaut for the Indo-US mission to the International Space Station in August last year. Image: Axiom Space Indian astronaut Shubanshu Shukla is set to create history on Wednesday (June 11). Shukla, 39, is set to pilot the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of Nasa's Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Shukla, known as 'Shux' to his near and dear ones, will thus become the first Indian to travel to the ISS and just the second Indian to travel to space. He will be joined by ex-Nasa astronaut Peggy Whitson, who is the mission commander, Tibor Kapu of Hungary and Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what do we know about Group Captain Shukla's journey from being a test pilot in the Indian Air Force (IAF) to an astronaut? Let's take a closer look Early beginnings Shukla was born on October 10, 1985. Shukla's sister Suchi Mishra said his fascination with aircraft began when he was just a child. Shukla, who attended an air show, later told his sister the speed and sound of the aircraft left him entranced. He did his schooling at the City Montessori School (CMS) in Lucknow. Shukla took the National Defence Academy (NDA) exam by chance. 'Some of his CMS classmates had brought up a form for NDA. One of them realized that he was overage by a few days and inquired from Shubhanshu if he would like to apply instead. That's how it all started,' his father Shambhu said. Test pilot Shukla graduated from Pune's National Defence Academy (NDA) in 2005 and from the Air Force Academy (AFA) the next year. As per India Today, Shukla as a test pilot trialled several planes including the SU-30 MKI, Dornier, AN-32, Mig-21, and MiG-29. He logged over 2,000 hours in the air over a period of two to three years. Shubhanshu Shukla became an IAF Group Captain in 2024. 'Fighter flying is highly dynamic, so is a space mission that requires you to think on your feet and make split-second decisions, build strong instincts and have the courage to mitigate issues no matter the situation. The Air Force Test Pilot School has prepared Shubhanshu for it well. Therefore, he was one of the first to volunteer for the Gaganyaan Mission to become an astronaut when the news came,' a retired IAF Air Marshal told STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Journey to space Shukla's journey to space began in 2018 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that an Indian would go to space very soon. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) selected Shukla as an astronaut in 2019. His wife Kamna, a dentist, told The Times of India the first inkling they had that his dream might become a reality was in 2020. 'It was in the beginning of 2020,' Kamna said. 'One of the criteria for Gaganyaan aspirants was that they had to be test pilots. It's such a small community that we were elated, because whoever it may be, he would be known to us. That small idea has become an incredible reality now.' Shukla did his basic astronaut training at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia's Moscow in 2021. He worked further on his skills at the Astronaut Training Facility in Bengaluru after he returned from Russia. Shukla became an IAF Group Captain in 2024. Shukla in January 2025 was chosen as the pilot for the Axiom Space's Mission 4 – a joint undertaking of NASA and ISRO. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'Amazing journey' Shukla in a video ahead of the launch called the mission an 'amazing journey' and said he was lucky to be part of something 'much larger than yourself'. 'It has been an amazing journey; these are the moments that really tell you that you are getting to be a part of something that is much larger than yourself. I can only say how extremely fortunate I am to be a part of this,' Shukla said. Shukla is following in the footsteps of his idol Rakesh Sharma – the first Indian to go to space in 1984 aboard the Soyuz spacecraft of the then Soviet Union. Shukla said he hopes to use his 'journey to inspire this entire generation to pursue their careers in the field of space' – just as he 'was extremely inspired and motivated' by Sharma's visit to space in 1984. 'Although it's a very exciting place to be, I understand the kind of responsibility it puts on me. It is a kind of representation of the entire nation, and, so this is the beginning of a long journey,' Shukla said earlier this year. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Shubanshu Shukla will be one of four astronauts taking part in the Axiom-4 mission. X/@NASASpaceOps 'It's true that as our son stands on the brink of history and is set to represent India in NASA's Axiom-4 mission to the ISS. It's an immensely proud moment not just for us but for the country, and we are praying for the success of this space mission each day,' Shambhu told PTI. Shukla has also been chosen for the Gaganyaan mission – India's first human spaceflight mission. 'He has immense responsibility. The Axiom mission is a stepping stone for India's Gaganyaan programme. Whatever he learns will help the country. He'll be quite busy once he returns,' Kamna told The Times of India. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Study to explore impact of indoor air pollution on heart failure patients
T'puram: Air pollution is increasingly being recognised as a serious threat to heart health, contributing to heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions. To explore whether cleaner indoor air can lead to better health outcomes for heart failure patients, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) launched a new study. The research is part of the Indo-US collaborative agreement on environmental and occupational health and focuses on one key question: Can reducing indoor air pollution improve the health of people with heart failure? The study is being carried out at three major medical centres in India: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi; Dayanand Medical College (DMC), Ludhiana; and SCTIMST, Trivandrum. As part of the study, air purifiers were installed in the homes of 10 heart failure patients in Trivandrum and Kollam districts. The plan is to expand this number and install a total of 200 air purifiers in patients' homes across these districts. "Air pollution is often seen as a problem of cities and traffic, but indoor air pollution is equally dangerous, especially in places where people spend most of their time — their homes. For patients with heart failure, who are particularly vulnerable to environmental stressors, breathing cleaner air could significantly reduce complications, hospitalisations, and even death," Dr Harikrishnan S, the principal investigator, said. He said if successful, it could lead to new guidelines for managing heart failure, emphasising the importance of air quality at home. It may also inform national health policies, making air purifiers a potential part of patient care for high-risk groups. The findings could benefit millions of people living in polluted regions, not just in India, but globally. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in India, innovative, evidence-based interventions are urgently needed. By focusing on the connection between clean air and cardiac health, this research places India at the forefront of an emerging area of public health. SCTIMST and its partners are hopeful that the study will provide valuable data to shape the future of care for heart failure patients — one breath at a time, Dr Harikrishnan added.
