Trump's public overtures towards Pakistan straining India-US relations: Report

Washington, Aug 5 (IANS) US President Donald Trump’s public outreach to Pakistan is straining India-US ties, prompting New Delhi to question the value of its strategic engagement with Washington, a report has cited.

"Pakistan's sponsorship of cross-border terrorism is a direct national security threat to India. Any United States administration that ignores this point is guilty of diplomatic negligence. India does not ask for unconditional alignment, only consistency and respect for its core interests from the United States," a report in 'The Diplomat' mentioned.

According to the report, the meeting between US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Washington on July 25 – the latest in a series of high-level engagements - raised concerns in India. Observers in New Delhi questioned why Washington would enhance ties with a country that poses a threat to India's security interests, especially after decades of efforts to bolster India-US relations.

Adding to the unease, the report stated, were Trump's renewed claims of mediating between India and Pakistan even though New Delhi has consistently maintained that Kashmir and other sensitive issues are bilateral, viewing any interference in the matter as a violation of its sovereignty.

"Trump's talk of mediation thus sends a clear message to India that its core concerns are negotiable. If Washington is serious about deepening ties with India, such comments are at best a diplomatic misstep and at worst strategic self-sabotage on a grand scale," the report in premier international affairs magazine for the Asia-Pacific region highlighted.

It detailed that the US is eroding trust and weakening the very alliances and partnerships it claims to prioritise by engaging with Pakistan – a nation under Beijing’s influence, while not taking a firm stance on India's core concerns

"The United States must decide if it wants a steady, forward-looking partner in India or a string of transactional dealings with Pakistan that only breed mistrust," the report stated.

The foundation of India-US ties, it said, rests on a single premise, that "India is the only democratic power in Asia with the capacity to balance China’s growing assertiveness".

If Washington sidelines its trusted partner in Asia, the report stated, it risks weakening the Indo-Pacific framework from within amid the shifting regional balance.

"If the Trump administration still holds this view – that what happens in South Asia is of no concern – then the United States should step aside. If the Trump administration does envision a role for itself in the region, then now is the moment to demonstrate that the United States sees India as more than a convenient partner. The Trump administration must clarify its long-term priorities," the report highlighted.

India, the report stated, is an indispensable and equal partner, and must be treated accordingly. Anything that goes against India's security concerns could inflict lasting damage on the partnership, which may never be restored.

"Ignoring India's concerns not only jeopardises the bilateral partnership but also strengthens voices within India that argue the West cannot be trusted," The Diplomat report cited.