Pakistan and the US have always been fair-weather friends. Their relationship has been less about shared values and more about shifting interests changing loyalties whenever convenient, and abandoning each other just as easily. And every time Pakistan has tried to bend backward to please Washington, it has
returned home bruised, diplomatically humiliated, and more insecure than before. The recent quiet visit of Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, to the US President Donald Trump is another addition to this tired playbook.
What’s notable is the growing unease within Pakistan itself. The people there are no longer blind to this repetitive circus. They have seen it before- military bosses trying to freelance foreign policy behind civilian backs, attempting to remain relevant in DC’s corridors of power while the country crumbles internally. From Ayub Khan to Zia-ul-Haq to Musharraf, and now Munir- the legacy continues, a military addicted to US approval and a nation that pays the price through lost autonomy, economic subservience, and diplomatic irrelevance. And what has Pakistan really gained from these decades of overtures? A few aid cheques. Unreliable arms deals. Sanction threats. And a permanent place in Washington’s list of “manageable allies”- never a trusted partner. The country is more isolated today, economically fragile, and diplomatically adrift. It is living proof that bending does not build respect- it breeds dependence.
India, on the other hand, has played a very different hand. When President Trump extended an informal invitation to Prime Minister Modi during his recent outreach, Modi did not jump at the offer. There was no urgency to grab headlines. No photo-op hunger. India simply did not bite. And that silence spoke volumes- much like Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s quiet resolve after the nuclear tests, when India did not seek validation but let its dignity and clarity do the talking. It reflected not arrogance, but maturity- an India that is confident, measured, and in no mood to take a backseat.
PM Modi’s decision not to entertain political showmanship, while staying rock-solid on India’s undisputed right over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, is not just diplomacy- it’s doctrine. A signal that India’s red lines will not be blurred, no matter who is calling from across the ocean. This is where India must capitalise. Let Pakistan keep knocking at the doors of Washington through its military establishment- let that dependency stay on full display. India, meanwhile, should continue strengthening its engagement with the US, but strictly on its own terms- strategic, technological, and transparent. No need for appeasement or flattery. Most importantly, PM Modi’s firm and unapologetic stance on India’s full and rightful claim over PoK should echo loud and clear. It sends a message not just to the US but to the world- India will not dilute its national interest for the comfort or convenience of any global power.
As Pakistan continues its old tradition of seeking validation from foreign powers, India must stick to its path- quiet, consistent, and sovereign. There is no need to shout from rooftops or counter every desperate move from Islamabad. The contrast itself is enough. One neighbour keeps bending. The other stands tall. Because in geopolitics, consistency counts more than theatrics.
Ashutosh Jha writes on geopolitics, Indian diplomacy, and strategic assumptions.
Comments
Post a Comment