Doubts over US reliability grow in India after Trump's diplomatic cover to Pakistan
AP Doubts about America as a 'reliable partner' are once again on the Indian mind, thanks to Donald Trump's repeated contributions.India's John Boltons - war hawks - are roused. They are fuming at Trump for giving diplomatic cover to Pakistan despite its decades-long record of using terrorist proxies. They are also furious at India's leadership for not 'finishing' the job once and for all. How that might have played out in real life - military capabilities, loss of life, China opening another war front, and the impact on India's economy - is not explained.
Realists understand that India's war against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism is largely a lonely one. The answer is self-reliance, continued economic progress and careful management of two difficult neighbours. Now, consider the ground situation:The US supported India's right to defend itself, and no one, including Trump and members of Congress, questioned that right.Despite Pakistan's exaggerated claims and narrative dominance in the Western media, the bigger story was India's ability to pierce Pakistan's air defence systems and hit the most sensitive installations with precision. Pakistan army chief can't acknowledge that Made in China systems didn't work so well for obvious reasons.The 'hyphenation' between India and Pakistan is temporary and will get a quiet burial in the coming months, but Indian diplomats will have to work overtime.US officials understand India's anger, but no one can temper Trump. They insist the nuts and bolts of the relationship are fine. They are looking at dates for the next 2+2 dialogue and the first meeting of the technology initiative.Reasons for cooperation with India are too many to list and will not disappear. India is the world's fourth-largest economy, has a talent pool the West needs and a market it covets. Pakistan is an imploding economy in constant need of IMF bailouts, a society infected with jihadism and an army that won't allow normal politics to flourish.In the past, India has compartmentalised the unsavoury (Washington's tendency to protect Pakistan's military-intelligence complex) and focused on the positive (tech and defence cooperation). It should continue to do so.Trump is busy with the next big 'deal'. Last week, he was making a splash in the Arab world, receiving gifts, promising a nuclear deal to Iran and undermining Israel, America's staunchest ally. Lesson: Trump will risk any relationship if he thinks a country - in this case, Israel - is hampering his hunt to be a 'peace president'. His anti-war stance might be as real as his worship of Lakshmi.Questions that linger:Does India have a real contact in Trump's inner circle? Or the bureaucratic outreach is deemed sufficient? Why hasn't the Indian-American community been unleashed? Who is India's go-to person now that Mike Waltz is no longer in the White House? Washington requires constant networking and endless schmoozing, not standoffish vibes.Just after the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Pakistan signed a crypto deal with World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency firm where majority stakes are owned by Trump's family. Company executives, including Zach Witkoff, the son of Trump's all-purpose envoy Steve Witkoff, met everyone from Shehbaz Sharif to Asim Munir.Where are the Indian billionaires in this game? It's fairly simple: money makes the Trump world go around. When Narendra Modi came in February, he should have come with India's top five industrialists with open purse strings.What about India's lobbyists? The latest addition is Jason Miller, a former Trump adviser whose firm last month got a one-year contract worth $1.8 mn. That kind of money should show real results in a crisis, not just getting members of Congress to churn out two lines of sympathy on social media. Pakistan has hired its set of new lobbyists - also former Trump people - in a back-to-DC signal.A multi-party parliamentary delegation headed by Shashi Tharoor is expected in Washington June 4-5 to meet US lawmakers and senior Trump officials. The idea is to clear misconceptions and counter the flood of disinformation from Pakistan/China. To do a serious job, they need to double their days.The delegation will engage members of the House and Senate foreign affairs committees, India Caucus and possibly the Republican leadership. How about trying to meet members of the House Select Committee on China, which keeps an eye on Beijing's geopolitical ploys? Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, who has a keen understanding of China's game, is the top Democrat on the committee.The delegation should also meet members of the two armed services committees. They must understand Op Sindoor and the use of Chinese weapons by Pakistan. They must also get a timeline to establish Pakistan's escalatory moves after India hit terrorist infrastructure. There's a lot of confusion out there. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Protean eGov of PAN fame crashes 20% as govt turns down bid
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