Is Trump’s US a friend of India or Pakistan?
According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US’ expanding strategic relationship with Pakistan will not come at the expense of the ‘relationship or friendship with India’.
When it comes to India, relations with the US have been tumultuous to say the least. Like when India secretly tested nuclear devices and became the first nation outside the 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to have declared nuclear capabilities. That move contributed to the US and India being estranged for over two decades.
But things eventually smoothened out. Because the US realised it needed India on its side. Especially since India didn’t wait around hoping the US would change its mind.
India, in a bid to safeguard her national interests, started building its own strategic relationships with the likes of Russia and China. Something that persists to this day. After all, ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’, right?
But most political commentators agree that US President Donald Trump imposing 50% tariffs on India - the highest tariff level so far - marks the lowest point in US-India relations in decades.
What’s worse is the apparent US pivot toward Pakistan after Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize. US-Pak relations have since moved at warp speed.
In an unprecedented move, Trump invited Sharif and Pak Army Chief Asim Munir to the White House. Moreover, the two nations signed a trade deal in July - way before most other nations - limiting the tariffs on Pakistan to just 19%.
Additionally, Pakistan and the US also signed a deal focused on rare earth minerals and have made plans for joint military drills.
On the other hand, India and the US are yet to agree on a trade deal. Because Trump wants India to stop buying oil from Russia. At the UN General Assembly a month ago, Trump labelled India and China ‘the primary funders’ of Russia's war with Ukraine.
Now, Rubio claims India has expressed an interest in diversifying her oil portfolio. He believes that the more India buys from the US, the less we’ll buy from Russia. Thus defunding the Kremlin war machine.
But, will New Delhi want Washington to move away from Islamabad, in exchange for loosening ties with Moscow? OR will the US be able to have its cake and eat it too?
