Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Aug 14: US President Donald Trump’s repeated endorsement of Pakistan and disregard for India’s core security concerns has significantly eroded the foundation of the India-US relationship, according to a new report by the International Centre for Peace Studies (ICPS).
The report claims Trump’s actions reversed decades of carefully cultivated strategic trust, transforming what was once called the “defining partnership of the 21st century” into a relationship marked by renewed suspicion and geopolitical distance.
While previous US administrations under Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama largely respected India’s red lines on issues like Kashmir and refrained from overtly supporting Pakistan’s military, Trump openly praised Pakistan and empowered its military leadership, the report said.
This shift, it noted, weakened India’s global stance against cross-border terrorism and diminished its regional standing. One senior Indian diplomat quoted in the report compared the damage to “a return to Cold War–era strategic suspicion.”
Recent developments have added to the tension. The US was used as a platform for Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir to issue veiled nuclear threats against India — a move seen as deeply provocative. Munir’s reported remark that Pakistan was ready to “take half the world down with us” has raised alarm bells, with the report urging Washington to take such rhetoric seriously.
Simultaneously, the ICPS highlighted how Trump’s aggressive tariff hikes on Indian exports further strained ties. In the wake of these developments, China has begun taking a more conciliatory approach toward India, presenting itself as a more cooperative regional power.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry criticized the US tariffs on India, warning that “if you give a bully an inch, he will take a mile” — a message that state-run outlets have amplified. Beijing has even gone so far as to praise India in the lead-up to Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit, noting shared interests in trade, counterterrorism, and regional stability.
The report concludes that weakening India does not serve US interests. Instead, it emboldens rivals like China and Pakistan, undermining Washington’s own Indo-Pacific strategy — which consistently positions India as a key partner in balancing Chinese influence.