Page 5 - The Indian EYE 062725

COVER STORY JUNE 27, 2025 | The Indian Eye 5

“The Prime Minister was very clear
— no foreign leader, no matter how
friendly, has any role to play in our is-
sues with Pakistan. That message was
conveyed firmly and unambiguously.”
Launched in April 2025, Oper-
ation Sindoor was India’s swift and
coordinated military response to the
deadly terror attack on a tourist con-
voy in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir.
The precision strikes targeted terror
launchpads and infrastructure deep
inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
(PoK) and along the LoC, signaling a
decisive shift in India’s counterterror
strategy. Unlike previous operations,
Sindoor was publicly acknowledged
by the Indian government, projecting
a message of strength and deterrence. Congress Party supporters hold a protest against the US President Donald Trump’s claim of mediation in the ceasefire
The operation caught Pakistan
off-guard, both militarily and dip- between India and Pakistan, in Kolkata on Wednesday (ANI)
lomatically. Islamabad scrambled
to downplay the damage but faced only reinforces India’s skepticism. is claiming or doing, but the ambigui- Navigating the Trump Era
global scrutiny as evidence mounted ty and instability it introduces into an
about the scale of India’s retaliation. Confusing Signals already sensitive regional equation. rump’s claim of brokering a
Domestically, the Pakistani military Moreover, Trump’s meeting ceasefire, his meeting with Pa-
was rattled by the speed and precision rump’s foreign policy playbook with Munir contrasts sharply with Tkistan’s Army Chief, and his
of the strikes, leading to increased has always leaned toward per- the Biden administration’s more inconsistent stance on Kashmir are all
pressure on the army’s credibility. In- Tsonalization and showmanship cautious approach toward Pakistan, part of a larger pattern: an approach
ternationally, the move strengthened rather than consistent strategic prin- especially on issues like democracy, to diplomacy that is more performa-
India’s image as a nation unwilling ciples. His engagement with India terrorism, and the crackdown on civil tive than principled.
to tolerate cross-border terrorism — has often oscillated between admi- society in Pakistan. For India, the lesson is clear and
and forced the world to take note of ration for Modi and off-the-cuff re- The broader concern in Delhi consistent: build strong ties with the
Pakistan’s continued support for ex- marks about Kashmir that stir diplo- and elsewhere is the pattern of con- United States, but remain prepared
tremist proxies. matic anxiety. tradictory signals emerging from to push back against narrative over-
Now, in a development that has “Trump operates on impulse, not Trump’s foreign policy language. reach and defend sovereign positions
complicated the diplomatic picture policy,” said a former U.S. diplomat On one hand, he touts his friendship with clarity.
further, Trump recently hosted Pa- who worked in South Asia. “His style with Modi and praises India’s eco- Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the mil-
kistan’s Chief of Army Staff Gener- is to insert himself into high-stakes is- nomic rise. On the other, he revives itary seeks to rehabilitate its interna-
al Asim Munir at the White House. sues, claim credit, and move on. That inflammatory narratives about Kash- tional image and secure legitimacy
While the Trump camp characterized might work for domestic optics, but it mir, holds meetings with Pakistani after months of political turmoil.
the meeting as informal, the optics confuses allies.” generals, and makes unsubstantiated Hosting Munir could serve Trump in
were unmistakable: a leading U.S. For Indian diplomats and secu- claims about brokering peace. two ways: reinforcing his image as a
political figure engaging directly with rity planners, the concern is twofold: This strategic ambiguity—some dealmaker and signaling that he re-
the most powerful man in Pakistan’s not just the substance of what Trump would call it tactical confusion—cre- mains influential in global affairs. For
political-military structure. ates uncertainty not just for India but Munir, a photo with Trump may help
For India, the meeting triggers for global partners watching how a bolster his credibility both domesti-
concern, not necessarily because of second Trump term could reshape cally and with the Pakistani diaspora.
its immediate implications, but due international alignments. In India, Prime Minister Modi
to the broader signals it sends about “Trump is transactional and the- remains focused on reinforcing In-
Trump’s approach to South Asia. atrical,” said a former U.S. diplomat. dia’s status as a regional and global
The Indian establishment views the “He likes grand gestures and person- power. For him, any insinuation of
Pakistan Army as the architect of al rapport. But when it comes to stra- U.S. interference — especially from
cross-border terrorism and repeated tegic consistency, especially in South someone like Trump — must be pub-
disruptions in Indo-Pak peace talks. Asia, he’s a wildcard.” licly and diplomatically countered.
“This isn’t just a photo-op,” said Still, for countries like India, Union Minister Hardeep Singh
a South Asia analyst in Washington. these moments matter. The potential Puri said that Trump’s outreach to
“It’s a signal to Islamabad that if for diplomatic misrepresentation or Munir changes nothing: “India is
Trump returns, Rawalpindi may find pressure—especially from a leader clear in its red lines — Kashmir and
a friendlier White House.” who operates outside the norms of terror are not subjects for external
That possibility is not lost on traditional diplomacy—poses real discussion.”
New Delhi. Trump’s past statements challenges. India’s response to Trump’s re-
and actions reflect a deep unpredict- That’s why Modi’s firmness on cent moves has been measured but
ability in foreign policy — from offer- bilateralism, even in the face of re- resolute. The government has reiter-
ing to mediate on Kashmir to prais- Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Pakistani peated provocation, matters. It sends ated that all dialogue with Pakistan
ing authoritarian figures. Engaging Army chief, was invited to the White House a message not just to Pakistan, but to must be direct, free from third-par-
Pakistan’s army chief while claiming for lunch this week (File photo) all external actors: India is open to ty interference, and conditioned on
credit for an India-Pakistan ceasefire partnership, but not patronage. concrete action against terrorism.

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