Former diplomat Vikas Swarup has strongly criticised the United States for deepening its relationship with Pakistan, calling it a "strategic mistake." Swarup emphasised that Pakistan is closely aligned with China, which he identifies as the United States' strategic competitor.

He views the US-Pakistan ties as short-term and primarily driven by financial motivations, particularly involving cryptocurrency assets linked to the Trump and Witkoff families. In contrast, he characterises the US-India relationship as far more strategic, long-term, and based on deeper mutual interests.

Swarup's remarks came amid heightened tensions following provocative statements by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, who suggested Pakistan might use nuclear weapons against India and others. Swarup condemned such nuclear threats as a form of "deliberate nuclear blackmail" designed to manipulate foreign mediation.

India, he noted, refuses to accept external mediation, especially with regard to conflicts with Pakistan. The Indian government has also demonstrated resolve by conducting Operation Sindoor in May 2025, which targeted terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, responding to a terror attack in Pahalgam.

Regarding the ongoing trade tensions between India and the US, Swarup defended India’s resistance to US pressure to open its agriculture, dairy, and genetically modified crop markets.

He explained the significant US tariffs on Indian goods—50% in total—as part of a broader US strategy to pressure India into signing a bilateral trade agreement favourable to US interests. Swarup linked these tariffs to India's membership in BRICS and India's actions in Operation Sindoor.

He pointed out that former President Donald Trump harbours a mistrust of BRICS, viewing it as an anti-American alliance aimed at creating an alternative to the dollar. Trump also claimed to have brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, a claim India rejects, leading to Trump's frustration.

Swarup argued that caving into such pressure from the US would only encourage more demands, praising India for standing firm given its size and pride as a nation with an independent foreign policy tradition dating back to the 1950s. He foresees the current US-Pakistan engagement as a passing phase, a "storm" that will eventually pass, while maintaining that India's strategic autonomy is non-negotiable.

Finally, Swarup mentioned the upcoming meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin scheduled for August 15, 2025, in Alaska regarding the Ukraine conflict. He predicted that if the talks are successful, sanctions on Russia could be lifted since Putin would not accept a ceasefire while facing economic sanctions.

Swarup’s position is that strengthening US ties with Pakistan is a short-sighted, tactical move motivated more by private financial interests than long-term strategic goals. He advocates for US recognition of India’s sovereign strategic choices, including in trade and defence, and cautions against yielding to external pressures that compromise India’s autonomy and interests.

Based On ANI Report