India wants Pak reined in but will US antagonise ally?

India hopes the Donald Trump administration will take a serious view of terrorism in South Asia and put pressure on Pakistan to mend its ways. However, it is unclear which way the new US President and his team will swing in dealing with a country that has been a key ally.

Several issues, including terrorist infiltration and funding, will figure in discussions between Trump and PM Narendra Modi during the Indian premier’s US visit from June 25 to 26.

As Pakistan is America’s frontline state in its fight against terrorism and geopolitical designs for Afghanistan, Washington has hardly ever walked the talk on India-related militancy issues. However, in a speech at the Arab-Islamic-US summit, Trump proclaimed India as a victim of terrorism and asked certain countries to ensure terror groups do not take sanctuary on their soil.

“The nations of Europe have endured unspeakable horror, and so did the nations of Africa and South America, India, Russia, China and Australia...” he said. For India, this meant two things. While Trump did not mention Pakistan, he did ask “every country to ensure that terrorists do not find sanctuary on their lands”. India maintains that Pakistan harbours terrorists, affecting the region’s peace and stability. Another ‘positive’ signal for India is the Trump administration’s plan to launch an “interagency policy review of relations with Pakistan”. “We are beginning an inter-agency policy review towards Pakistan. This (continuation of US aid to Pakistan) is going to be one of the considerations,” US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said.

But the words that followed expressed the importance the US places on Pakistan. “As you can well understand and appreciate, our relationship with Pakistan touches on some broader issues related to stability in Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific region. It is a very complex relationship we have with the government of Pakistan, but your concerns are all well-founded,” he added.

INDIA MAINTAINS THAT PAKISTAN HARBOURS TERRORISTS, AFFECTING THE REGION’S PEACE AND STABILITY