For a man who loves pomp and show, President Donald Trump received all the pageantry during his maiden visit to India. The US President made some remarks that may not go down well with Indian Prime Minister Modi who laid out the red carpet for the visiting dignitary as both heaped praise on each other.
The US President addressed a huge cheering crowd at a cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, the home state of Modi, and then headed to New Delhi to sign an arms deal. Trump highlighted the ‘very good’ relations the US has with Pakistan and the importance of unity among India’s various religions. Just hours before Trump arrived there was a deadly protest against the contentious citizenship law in which seven people were killed.
Trump touched a major geopolitical flashpoint for India by praising US relationship with Pakistan. He noted the positive ties between both countries in combating terrorism along the Pak-Afghan border. The Indian government would be unimpressed and is likely to bristle Trump’s expression of support for Pakistan on its own soil.
Trump has also reiterated his offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir stating that he has a strong relationship with the leaders of both countries. He said Pakistan has been working on the Kashmir issue, which has been a thorn in peace efforts for a long time. India has Trump’s offer to mediate on several occasions and the remarks will create further unease in New Delhi.
Pakistan has hailed Trump’s statement as an indication of its growing influence. The Foreign Minister said the remarks were extraordinary and its importance cannot be denied. He is that Pakistan considered India as a problem and this is seen by the world. Kashmir has been under lockdown for more than 200 days and it is unclear how things can proceed in these conditions. Pakistan should use the remarks to its advantage to pressurise India over Kashmir.
The timing of Trump’s remarks is crucial. The US is set to sign a historic peace deal with the Afghan Taliban later this week. Pakistan has been invited to witness the signing in Doha. The role of Pakistan in the peace process cannot be undermined. The US realises Pakistan’s efforts and is attempting to maintain relations with both nations.
Despite the fraught relationship over trade, Trump has built considerable goodwill with Modi and desired to make Indian the biggest defence partner. India will seek to keep the US distance itself from Pakistan and deepen its relationship. The US finds itself in a precarious position as it handles relations with both countries. Trump’s remains a polarising figure and his intentions are unclear, but Pakistan is pleased to know that it is heading in the right direction.
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