logo
Our relationship with both India and Pakistan is ‘good': US

Our relationship with both India and Pakistan is ‘good': US

Indian Express12 hours ago
America's relationship with both India and Pakistan is 'good', the US State Department has said, asserting that the diplomats are 'committed to both nations'.
Speaking at a briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the US working with both nations is good news for the region and the world, and will promote a beneficial future.
'I would say that our relationship with both nations is as it has been, which is good. And that is the benefit of having a President who knows everyone, talks to everyone, and that is how we can bring differences together in this case. So it's clear that the diplomats here are committed to both nations,' Bruce said.
She was responding to a question on the possibility of increased US assistance to Islamabad in terms of arms sales following Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's meeting with Trump, and whether this was coming at the cost of Trump's relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Referring to the May conflict between India and Pakistan, Bruce added, 'Obviously, we had an experience with Pakistan and India when there was a conflict, one that could have developed into something quite horrible.' She said that there was 'immediate concern and immediate movement' with Vice President J D Vance, President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in 'addressing the nature of what was happening….we described the nature of the phone calls, the work that we did to stop the attacks and to then bring the parties together so we could have something that was enduring.' She also claimed that top leaders in the US were involved in 'stopping that potential catastrophe.'
New Delhi has been maintaining that India and Pakistan halted their military actions following direct talks between their militaries without any mediation by the US.
Bruce added that the recent peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan 'follows negotiated peace arrangements between Cambodia and Thailand, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, Egypt and Ethiopia and Serbia and Kosovo.'
Meanwhile, in an interview on Tuesday, Rubio said that 'credit goes to' Trump for helping bring several conflicts around the world to an end.
Trump says he wants 'to be the President of peace. And so any time we see a conflict where we think we can make a difference, we get involved, and we've had good success in that regard. India-Pakistan, Thailand-Cambodia, the peace deal with Azerbaijan and Armenia, just a few days ago,' he said in an interview with 'Sid and Friends in the Morning'.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump names ‘Rocky' star Stallone, Strait among Kennedy Center honorees
Trump names ‘Rocky' star Stallone, Strait among Kennedy Center honorees

Hindustan Times

time23 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Trump names ‘Rocky' star Stallone, Strait among Kennedy Center honorees

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named "Rocky" star Sylvester Stallone and country music great George Strait among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, as he pursues a controversial overhaul of the storied arts institution. Trump announced he himself would host the Honors gala, which usually takes place in early December and is later broadcast on CBS. Disco diva Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and British theater star Michael Crawford, known for his indelible turn in the lead role of Broadway staple "Phantom of the Opera," will also receive the Honors, one of the nation's highest arts awards. Trump announced he himself would host the Honors gala, which usually takes place in early December and is later broadcast on CBS. "I did not insist, but I think it will be quite successful," he told reporters at the stately white marble complex overlooking the Potomac River. He also joked that he wanted an honor himself but was "never able to get one." Stallone, who at 79 is the same age as Trump, is a three-time Oscar nominee: for best actor and screenplay for the 1976 classic boxing flick "Rocky," and for best supporting actor, again in the Rocky Balboa role, in the 2015 follow-up "Creed." He is also a major Trump supporter and one of the president's "Hollywood ambassadors" along with Jon Voight and Mel Gibson. Strait, 73, is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, known for huge hits like "All My Exes Live in Texas" and "Amarillo by Morning." Gaynor, 81, is the singer behind the monster disco anthem "I Will Survive." KISS, formed in the 1970s in Trump's hometown New York City, gained fame with its shock rock performances and outlandish black and white face paint. Crawford, 83, made his mark on British television in the 1970s before achieving international success by originating the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Phantom of the Opera," thrilling audiences with his powerful tenor voice. - 'Not going to be woke' - The Kennedy Center, one of the nation's top performing arts venues, is a living monument to the late John F. Kennedy. Opened in 1971, it has long enjoyed bipartisan support. But in February, shortly after returning to the Oval Office, Trump ousted the center's leadership and installed himself as board chairman, vowing to purge any programming he deems objectionable. "A few short months ago, I became chairman of the Kennedy Center," Trump said Wednesday. "We ended the programming." In his first term, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican president skipped the Kennedy Center Honors gala, the biggest fundraiser of the year, because some of the artists receiving awards criticized him or said they would not attend in his presence. The Kennedy Center is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and also offers theater, opera, comedy and other productions. Many artists associated with the center, including opera singer Renee Fleming and musician Ben Folds, have cut ties with the institution. Others including comedian Issa Rae canceled performances. The producers of smash hit historical musical "Hamilton" opted to cancel a scheduled 2026 run timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, citing the end of "neutrality" at the center.

Ahead of crucial Putin meet, Trump says Russia to face 'very severe' consequences if war not stopped
Ahead of crucial Putin meet, Trump says Russia to face 'very severe' consequences if war not stopped

Time of India

time23 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Ahead of crucial Putin meet, Trump says Russia to face 'very severe' consequences if war not stopped

President Trump declared Russia would face "very severe" consequences if the Ukraine war doesn't stop, before his Alaska meeting with Putin. Trump expressed his desire to hold a follow-up meeting with both Putin and Zelensky soon after the summit. He also indicated he might address Russia's potential involvement in hacking federal court documents during their discussion. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Ahead of crucial meeting with Russian President Putin in Alaska, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Russia will face "very severe" consequences unless it halts Ukraine added that he wants to hold a "quick second" meeting with Putin and Zelensky after the Alaska President said that he could bring up a report suggesting Russia is at least partly responsible for a recent hack of the computer system that manages federal court documents when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I guess I could. Are you surprised? ... That's what they do. They're good at it. We're good at it. We're actually better at it," Trump told is expected to meet Putin in Alaska on Friday.

Bessant warns of higher secondary tariff on India, asks EU to join hands
Bessant warns of higher secondary tariff on India, asks EU to join hands

Business Standard

time23 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

Bessant warns of higher secondary tariff on India, asks EU to join hands

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday warned that Washington could raise its current 25 per cent secondary tariff on India if American President Donald Trump's meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday fails to make headway on Ukraine. He also asked the European Union to impose a similar secondary levy on India. 'We put a secondary tariff on Indians for buying Russian oil, and I could see -- if things don't go well (in the Trump-Putin meeting) -- then sanctions or secondary tariffs could go up,' Bessent told Bloomberg Television. 'President Trump is meeting with President Putin, and the Europeans are in the wings carping about how he should do it, what he should do. The Europeans need to join us in these sanctions. The Europeans need to be willing to put on these secondary sanctions.' When asked about China being the largest purchaser of Russian crude, Bessent said Trump may tell Putin that 'all options are on the table.' He added: 'Sanctions can go up, they can be loosened, they can have a definitive life, they can go on indefinitely.' In an earlier interview with Fox Business, Bessent described India as 'a bit recalcitrant' in its trade negotiations with the US. The Ministry of External Affairs on August 6 had called the 25 per cent secondary tariff, which raised the total American tariff on Indian goods to 50 per cent, 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,' and said it would take all necessary actions to protect its national interests. Speaking at an event in Mumbai on Wednesday, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said US tariff-related challenges would likely dissipate within one or two quarters, and urged the private sector to step up as the country addresses longer-term concerns. 'I do believe that the current situation will ease out in a quarter or two. I don't think that from a long-term picture the India impact will be that significant, but in the short run there will be some impact,' Nageswaran was quoted by PTI as saying. With speculation over whether US officials will visit India for trade talks later this month, Nageswaran said the outcome of the Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska is likely to influence developments. The CEA added that the focus on tariff disputes should not overshadow more pressing issues, including the impact of artificial intelligence, dependence on a single country for critical minerals and processing, and the need to strengthen supply chains.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store