&w=3840&q=100)
Are Pak military leaders' visits to US signs of resetting ties? Should India be bothered?
The US and Pakistan military ties are seeing a reset. The latest indicator -- Pakistan air force chief's visit to Washington. Representational image/Reuters
In the days after the Pahalgam terror attack, the United States stood firmly by India's side; US President Trump strongly condemned the terror attack and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 'heinous attack'. Then, US spy chief Tulsi Gabbard added that her country would back New Delhi as it hunts down the perpetrators, while US House Speaker Mike Johnson said that America would make every effort to help India in its fight against terrorism.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
However, actions speak louder than words, and the US actions are quite telling for India. In the past two weeks, the US leadership has met with the top echelons of the Pakistani military — first Trump met Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir on June 18, and now Pakistan's Chief of the Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu met with officials at the Pentagon, State Department and Capitol Hill on Wednesday (July 2).
So, what's brewing? Is the US looking at a reset of its military ties with Islamabad? And what does that mean for New Delhi?'
Pakistan Air Force chief in US
On Wednesday (July 2), Pakistan Air Force Chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu visited Washington, holding high-level meetings at the Pentagon, State Department and Capitol Hill to 'further enhance bilateral defence cooperation and mutual interest'.
Sidhu's meetings at the Pentagon included high-level talks with US Air Force Chief of Staff General David W Elon and Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs Kelly L Seybolt, focusing on joint operational training, technology sharing, and institutional ties and future cooperation.
Similarly, at the State Department, Sidhu met Brown L Stanley of the bureau of political and military affairs and Eric Meyer of the bureau of South and Central Asian affairs. The Pakistan Air Force chief also met some prominent members of the US Congress, including Mike Turner, Rich McCormick, and Bill Heizenga.
Pakistan's Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber Sidhu has completed a landmark visit to the United States. File image/PTI
A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) statement read, 'This high-level visit is a strategic milestone in the Pak-US defence partnership. The visit will play a significant role in addressing key regional and global security issues as well as building institutional ties.'
Many analysts pointed that Sidhu's visit, which comes nearly two months after India's Operation Sindoor, was with the aim of acquiring American military hardware. Pakistan hopes to acquire the American-built F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles, and batteries of the US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
This comes as India's missiles and drones bypassed Pakistans China-supplied defence systems to strike military targets deep inside the country. Moreover, it is reported that Chinese-made HQ-9P and HQ-16 missile defence systems were destroyed in Indian counterstrikes.
Pakistan's Munir lunches with Trump
What is most interesting about the Pakistan air force chief's visit to Washington is that it comes just weeks after Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir travelled to the US for a luncheon with President Donald Trump.
On June 18, Trump hosted Munir at the White House for a closed-door luncheon. It is not clear what transpired in the meeting between Trump and Field Marshal Munir.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly was quoted as saying that the meeting between the two came after the Pakistan army chief pitched Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan.
Ever-changing US-Pakistan military ties
The Trump-Munir lunch, the visit of the Pakistan army chief to Washington, and the US army general Michael Kurilla's reference to Islamabad as a 'phenomenal partner in countering terrorism' during an appearance at a hearing of the US House Armed Services Committee last month all signal a change in the US-Pakistan military ties.
And it's quite a dramatic reset; dramatic because seven years ago, Trump accused Pakistan of giving the US 'nothing but lies and deceit' and safe havens to terrorists – and one that his immediate successor Joe Biden called 'one of the most dangerous nations'.
But just how have ties changed between the two countries?
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
In 1947, soon after Pakistan was formed, US concerns about Soviet expansionism in the region and Islamabad's desire for security assistance against a perceived threat from India prompted a military alliance between the two countries.
Seven years later, Washington and Islamabad signed a mutual defence assistance agreement and soon military aid started flowing into Pakistan. In 1964, Pakistani President Mohammed Ayub Khan even wrote in an article for Foreign Affairs that Islamabad is 'America's most allied ally in Asia'.
Pakistan President Mohammad Ayub Khan with US President John F. Kennedy during the former's 1961 visit to America. The Pakistani president had once said that Islamabad is 'America's most allied ally in Asia. File image/Wikimedia Commons
It is reported that between 1953 and 1961, Pakistan received a whopping $2 billion in aid from Washington, with a huge chunk of it going towards military support. However, following the 1965 India and Pakistan war, the US imposed a ban on the transfer of weapons to both New Delhi and Islamabad.
It was the USSR invasion of Afghanistan that changed America's view towards Pakistan. It became a key partner in the supply of the Afghan mujahideen, which took the fight to the Soviets in Afghanistan, supported by the US and Saudi Arabia, notes the American think tank C_ouncil on Foreign Relation_s. It was around this time that the US also approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
But, in 1990, with the end of the Cold War, US President George HW Bush again suspended American military assistance to Pakistan, withholding roughly 28 F-16s that Islamabad purchased in 1989.
US President George W Bush agreed to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan in a major policy shift rewarding a key ally in the war on terrorism in 2004. File image/Reuters
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, shifted relations once again; a Congressional Research Service report reveals that between 2002 and 2020, Pakistan received over $34 billion in aid from the US. Roughly $23 billion of American aid was security related, with $8.2 billion being directly related to military aid, while a further $14.5 billion were 'Coalition Support Fund' reimbursements, for offering key support to US military operations.
It all turned to naught in 2018 amid Trump's first tenure; he suspended security aid to Pakistan, stating that Islamabad had failed to take action against terror groups. Trump even tweeted, 'The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than '$33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
But just this year, Trump authorised the release of funds to Pakistan, including $397 for maintaining its F-16 fighter jet fleet.
Experts note that these ebbs and flows in the US-Pakistan military ties is grounded in tactical necessity and overlapping security interests. While Islamabad needs Washington to continue providing aid and military hardware, the US needs Pakistan as a means to counter China as well as the terror groups in Afghanistan.
India should pay heed to US-Pak ties
But should the US tilt to Pakistan, especially in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, be a concern to India?
The answer is a mixed one. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, there was a de-hyphenisation between India and Pakistan. However, with the Trump administration interacting with Pakistan's military, there's a chance of a re-hyphenation in ties. Moreover, India can't afford to have Islamabad currying much favour with Washington as well as Beijing. This puts the country in a difficult position on the global stage.
The national flag of India hoisted at Times Square in New York City. Representational image/AFP
But experts also note that India is now America's partner of choice not only in South Asia but the Indo Pacific. As the Hudson Institute notes, it would take much more than a few high-level visits by Pakistani military officials to restore American trust in Pakistan, which remains strategically aligned with America's rival, China.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
India's Lt General Syed Ata Hasnain (retired) explains it the best in an Indian Express column, 'Trump's outreach to Pakistan should not be read as a betrayal or a shift away from India. It is better understood as tactical engagement driven by geography, legacy relationships, and evolving regional threats. Pakistan will always offer America access, whether for leverage in Kabul, observation posts against Iran, or to counter Chinese expansion. But such engagement is opportunistic, not strategic.'
With inputs from agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
US-bound students anxious as visa slots unavailable
Representative Image HYDERABAD: With university deadlines fast approaching, thousands of US-bound students are staring at a blank screen—literally. Despite recent announcements from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that visa slots would open soon, no new appointments have been released yet, leaving students across Hyderabad anxious and desperate. 'I check the portal at least 20 times a day, hoping something shows up,' said a 23-year-old who secured admission to a master's programme in California. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad 'All my documents are ready, my fees are paid, but now I might miss my intake simply because I can't get an interview.' Consultants across the city confirmed the bottleneck. Ankit Jain from One Windows Overseas Consultancy said, 'We were expecting slots by the end of June. Now we're in July and there's complete silence. Many are continuing to withdraw their applications or deferring admissions.' In the absence of official updates, many students are clinging to whatever tips they can find, often relying on peer networks and online communities. 'We were advised to keep our social media accounts public, but there is little clarity on what to do next,' said another applicant, who is headed to a university in New Jersey. 'It feels absurd, but we're desperate.' What's compounding the stress is a sharp increase in visa rejections, even among those who managed to get slots earlier this year. 'We've never seen rejection rates like this. Strong academic profiles, full scholarships, none of it is guaranteeing approval. It's extremely worrying,' said Rajni Mankotia from Way 2 Abroad Consultancy. She added the situation may be a mix of increased scrutiny, high application volume, and shifting immigration policies, but the lack of transparency is what's proving most damaging. 'The US has always been a top destination for Indian students, but this year's experience is shaking that trust. There needs to be clearer communication from the embassy so students aren't left hanging. If they will secure slots in the next days, they will miss out on the fall intake,' said Arvind Manduva from I20 Fever. 'Under new guidance, we will conduct a comprehensive and thorough vetting, including online presence, of all student and exchange visitor applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications,' said a spokesperson from US Consulate General Hyderabad. They further said, 'Consular sections constantly adjust their schedules to allow for sufficient time to fully vet the cases to ensure our visa operations around the world meet the highest standards.'
India.com
26 minutes ago
- India.com
Shameless Bilawal Bhutto makes shocking statement about terrorist Masood Azhar says, 'Pakistan doesn't...'
Shameless Bilawal Bhutto makes shocking statement about terrorist Masood Azhar says, 'Pakistan doesn't...' In a bizarre Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has again claimed that said Islamabad does not know where Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is. One of India's most-wanted terrorists, Masood Azhar has been involved in the 2001 Parliament attack, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, 2016 Pathankot attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack, among others. A designated a global terrorist by the United Nations in 2019, Azhar was released in exchange for the passengers of IC-814 after the Kandahar hijacking in 1999. Azhar, in the recent Operation Sindoor had also lost 10 members of his family and four of his aides. India targeted key terror bases in the country during the operation, including the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke and the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur. Where is Masood Azhar? In an interview Bhutto said that his country would be 'happy to' arrest him if India gives information that he is on Pakistani soil and added Saeed is not a free man in Pakistan and Azhar may be in Afghanistan. 'As far as Masood Azhar is concerned, if he is in Afghanistan, the West has now handed over to a group that once upon a time they called terrorists, and now they call the people in charge of Afghanistan… It's not possible for Pakistan to go and do what all of NATO was unable to do within Afghanistan. There's no reason for Pakistan to want to see this individual or any individual of concern to be active.'
Mint
27 minutes ago
- Mint
Where is Masood Azhar? Pakistan has no clue about Jaish chief's location, says Bilawal Bhutto – may be ‘in Afghanistan'
Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed that Islamabad has been unable to identify where Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is. The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chief said Pakistan would be 'more than happy' to arrest Azhar if India provides credible information confirming his presence on Pakistani soil. Bhutto said Pakistan believes that he might as well be in Afghanistan. 'As far as Masood Azhar is concerned, we have been unable to arrest him or identify him. Given his past within the Afghan jihad context, it is our belief that he is in Afghanistan,' Bhutto told Sreenivasan Jain in an interview on Aljazeera English. Azhar is one of India's most-wanted terrorists and has been involved in the 2001 Parliament attack, 26/11 Mumbai attacks, 2016 Pathankot attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. India has been demanding that Pakistan hand over Azhar and Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed. "If and when the Indian government shares information with us that he is on Pakistani soil, we would be more than happy to arrest him. The fact is…' Bhutto said in the interview. Azhar, who was designated a global terrorist by the United Nations in 2019, was released in exchange for the passengers of IC-814 after the Kandahar hijacking in 1999. When asked why Pakistan would expect, or wait for, India to give information about Azhar, the PPP chief said, "When you have a CT (counterterrorism) cooperation with any country, we provide groups of our concern, they provide groups of their concern. That's how we managed to thwart attacks here in London, thwart attacks in New York, thwart attacks in Pakistan," he said. Bhutto's PPP is part of the ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Pakistan. "As far as Masood Azhar is concerned, if he is in Afghanistan, the West has now handed over to a group that once upon a time they called terrorists, and now they call the people in charge of Afghanistan... It's not possible for Pakistan to go and do what all of NATO was unable to do within Afghanistan. There's no reason for Pakistan to want to see this individual or any individual of concern to be active," be said. Bhutto also said that Hafiz Saeed is not a free man in Pakistan. To a question on a New York Times report saying that Hafiz Saeed is free man in Pakistan, Bhutto said, 'That's not accurate. That's factually not correct that Hafiz Saeed is a free man. He is in the custody of the Pakistani state,' he said. Bhutto's remarks come in the backdrop of India-Pakistan tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people, mostly tourists were killed. India responded with a series of cross-border airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting major terror hubs including Lashkar-e-Taiba's base in Muridke and Jaish-e-Mohammed's headquarters in Bahawalpur. Azhar had claimed that ten of his family members and four close aides were killed in the Indian strikes. If and when the Indian government shares information with us that he is on Pakistani soil, we would be more than happy to arrest him. Key Takeaways Bilawal Bhutto claims Pakistan lacks information on Masood Azhar's whereabouts and suggests he may be in Afghanistan. The former foreign minister asserts Pakistan's readiness to arrest Azhar if credible information is provided by India. Bhutto defends Pakistan's stance on Hafiz Saeed, stating he is not a free man and is under state custody.
