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India.com
04-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
What's happening between Pakistan and US? Days after Asim Munir's visit, Pakistan air force chief visits US for…
What's happening between Pakistan and US? Days after Asim Munir's visit, Pakistan air force chief visits US for… Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu's US visit marks a significant step in bolstering Pakistan-US defence cooperation, following a similar tour by the army chief. By Nivedita Dash Edited by Nivedita Dash Advertisement What's happening between Pakistan and US? Days after Asim Munir's visit, Pakistan air force chief visits US for... Days after Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir paid an official visit to United States, Pakistan Air Force chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu also visited the US. Interestingly he came to US after a 10-year hiatus, as military ties between the two countries are seen to be improving in recent weeks following Operation Sindoor. This was the first visit by a serving Pakistan air force (PAF) chief in over a decade Pakistan's chief of air staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu paid an official visit to the US to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation after army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir recently undertook a similar tour. Advertisement === What was the purpose of the visit? A PAF statement said on Wednesday: '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.' It further said Sidhu held several important meetings with the top military and political leadership of the country during the visit to the US. Advertisement === At the Pentagon, he met US secretary of the air force for international affairs Kelly L Seybolt and air force chief of staff General David W Elon, where the two sides agreed to forge new avenues for bilateral military cooperation, mutual affairs, joint training and technology exchange. The PAF chief highlighted the historical and multi-faceted relations between Pakistan and the US, particularly in the defence sector. Who all did Sidhu meet? During his visit to the US 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 meetings highlighted Pakistan's constructive role in promoting regional stability, the statement said. During his visit to Capitol Hill, Sidhu held meetings with members of the US Congress, including Mike Turner, Rich McCormick, and Bill Heizenga. The visit comes weeks after President Donald Trump hosted Munir for lunch, followed by a detailed meeting between the two.
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First Post
04-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Are Pak military leaders' visits to US signs of resetting ties? Should India be bothered?
In June, Pakistan army chief Asim Munir travelled to the US for a lunch hosted by President Donald Trump. Weeks later, the Pakistan air force chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu visited Washington and held meetings with officials from the US State Department and the Pentagon. This indicates a shift in US-Pakistan military ties, which date back to 1947. But what does it mean for India? read more 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
Time of India
04-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pakistan air force chief in US to strengthen defence cooperation
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's chief of air staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu paid an official visit to the US to further enhance bilateral defence cooperation after army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir recently undertook a similar tour. This was the first visit by a serving Pakistan air force (PAF) chief in over a decade, an indication of stepping up military engagements between Pakistan and the US. A PAF statement said on Wednesday: "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." It further said Sidhu held several important meetings with the top military and political leadership of the country during the visit to the US. At the Pentagon, he met US secretary of the air force for international affairs Kelly L Seybolt and air force chief of staff General David W Elon, where the two sides agreed to forge new avenues for bilateral military cooperation, mutual affairs, joint training and technology exchange. The PAF chief highlighted the historical and multi-faceted relations between Pakistan and the US, particularly in the defence sector. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is your tinnitus getting worse? Do this immediately (Watch) Hearing Magazine Undo Sidhu reiterated Pakistan's commitment to further strengthening the existing relations between the air forces of the two countries in the areas of military cooperation and training. During the detailed discussions, the two sides also agreed to establish high-level military relations in the future. They reiterated their commitment to forge new avenues for cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including joint training, operational exercises and exchange programmes, and to intensify efforts for this purpose, the statement said. During his visit to the US 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 meetings highlighted Pakistan's constructive role in promoting regional stability, the statement said. During his visit to Capitol Hill, Sidhu held meetings with members of the US Congress, including Mike Turner, Rich McCormick, and Bill Heizenga. The visit comes weeks after President Donald Trump hosted Munir for lunch, followed by a detailed meeting between the two.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
UK is with India against terrorism: Indo-Pacific minister tells all-party delegation
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The UK is with India in its efforts to combat terrorism, Indo-Pacific Minister Catherine West told the all-party delegation led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad at a meeting at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London on delegation highlighted India's resolve against terrorism, which it stressed must be eradicated in the interests of all humanity. Catherine West reiterated the UK's condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attacks in April and hailed India's contributions to stability in the Indo-Pacific."The delegation reiterated India's resolve to combat terrorism on its own. They also emphasised that terror remains a threat to all nations, and therefore the world needs to eradicate this scourge in the interests of all humanity," the High Commission of India said in a social media statement following the meeting."The minister reiterated the UKs condemnation of terror attacks in India, the priority it attaches to the India relationship in global strategic and economic terms, in contributing to stability in the Indo-Pacific and to global economic growth. She said that the UK is with India in its efforts; as a nation that has suffered from terror attacks itself, the UK believes that those who commit acts of terror must be brought to justice. All countries must work towards this end," the statement closed-door meeting followed the group's in-depth dialogues with representatives from some of the leading UK-based think tanks at India House in High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami opened the proceedings by laying out the context of the delegation's visit in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attacks and Operation Sindoor against Pakistan-backed terror camps. The meeting brought together leading strategic experts from International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), Chatham House, Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Wilton Park, among others."We had a very wonderful dialogue with leading think tanks across England," Prasad told PTI following the discussions."We conveyed our own concern as to why we are here. We also said we are capable of handling Pakistan, which we have handled. We believe in peace and amity, but we also have to take action to save the livelihood of our people against terror. But the world has to understand this cancer of terrorism," he Roy-Chaudhury, IISS Senior Fellow and Head of the South and Central Asian Programme, described it as a "fascinating exchange" with a delegation that represents the "voice of India"."It represents the government of India, represents multiple parties, members in Parliament, and it represents the people of India, and we've been really hearing about a unified voice against Pakistan-based terrorism," said Roy-Chaudhury."What is most important is that this delegation is seeking to engage with the British government to also seek a global consensus against Pakistan-based terrorism. We have not seen this focus in many years, and it is a welcome initiative by the government," he told PTI."The big challenge will be that while focusing on seeking a global consensus against Pakistan-based terrorism, there is a risk that India's focus will shift much more towards Pakistan than it has in the past. And, this brings about the challenges of not being re-hyphenated with Pakistan," he Chietigj Bajpaee, Senior Research Fellow for South Asia in the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, highlighted the "high degree of sympathy" for India's position following the Pahalgam terror attack and the military response with Operation Sindoor."However, the discussions also revealed that India faces an uphill battle in keeping the international community focused on this issue given the plethora of global challenges," said Bajpaee."In particular, the US/NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ) withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 has diluted the Western focus on terrorism. This may make it difficult for New Delhi to draw attention to Pakistan's alleged role as a global hub for terrorism," he Jagannadha Pawan Tamvada, who leads the Responsible Innovation and Sustainable Entrepreneurship (RISE) research excellence hub at Kingston Business School, stressed on the importance of the international community condemning Pakistan's use of illegally occupied parts of Kashmir as a terrorist base to attack India."The Kashmir region is a natural part of India. Civilisationally, Kashmir has always been an integral part of India... I think it is the right time that the world acknowledges that civilisationally Kashmir belongs to India and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir should be relinquished by Pakistan," said Prof. multi-party delegation, led by Prasad and comprising MPs Purandeswari, Chaturvedi, Ghulam Ali Khatana, Amar Singh, Samik Bhattacharya, M Thambidurai besides M J Akbar and Ambassador Saran, went on to meet members of the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) and Labour Friends of India (LFIN) and are scheduled to meet House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle on Tuesday Sunday evening, the group which has been conveying India's zero-tolerance stance against terrorism emanating from Pakistan in several European capitals including Paris, Rome and Copenhagen addressed a large gathering of the Indian diaspora at the High Commission of India in London."You are in Europe. If Europe doesn't remember fascism, which continent is going to remember fascism? You have generations here who remember the era of Hitler. This is the return of that era and we are witnessing it with our own eyes. But unless we understand it ourselves and explain it to others, we will have failed those who gave their lives," said London, Group 2 of seven similar all-party delegations travelling the world is scheduled for dialogues and interactive sessions in Belgium and Germany - where it will conclude its six-nation Europe tour. PTI
