US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has commended Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for endorsing President Donald Trump's peace initiative for Gaza and committing to the newly formed Board of Peace.

This endorsement came during a high-level meeting in Washington DC on 20 February 2026, where Rubio underscored the strengthening strategic ties between the United States and Pakistan.

The discussions centred on two pivotal areas: the development of critical minerals and enhanced counterterrorism cooperation. Rubio highlighted these as cornerstones of the bilateral relationship, reflecting broader US interests in securing supply chains amid global geopolitical shifts. Pakistan's alignment with the Board of Peace marks a notable step in its evolving foreign policy posture.

In a striking moment at the Board's inaugural session, Sharif lavished praise on Trump for his purported mediation in the 2024 India-Pakistan conflict. He described Trump's intervention as 'timely and very effective', crediting it with securing a ceasefire that 'potentially averted the loss of millions of lives'. Sharif went further, hailing Trump as a 'man of peace' and the 'saviour of the people of South Asia'.

Trump, seizing the platform, reiterated his narrative of single-handedly resolving the crisis. He claimed to have threatened a '200 per cent tariff' on both nations, asserting that economic pressure trumped military escalation—'nothing like money', as he put it. This account builds on his prior statements, now inflating the tally of downed jets from eight to eleven during the skirmishes.

The conflict in question stemmed from the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2024, which claimed 26 lives and prompted India's Operation Sindoor—precision strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. What followed was a brief but intense exchange, escalating tensions along the Line of Control before a de-escalation.

Trump recounted phoning Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sharif directly, leveraging personal rapport to broker peace. Despite India's firm denial of any third-party role—insisting the ceasefire resulted from bilateral Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) talks—Trump framed himself as the decisive actor. He emphasised that both leaders prioritised trade deals over continued fighting.

India has consistently rejected these claims, reaffirming its longstanding doctrine against external mediation in bilateral disputes, particularly those concerning Jammu and Kashmir. New Delhi maintains that resolutions must occur directly between the two sovereign states, without international interlopers.

This episode underscores persistent divergences in South Asian conflict narratives. Pakistan's public embrace of Trump's version aligns with its strategic outreach to the US, potentially at odds with India's bilateralism. For observers of Indo-Pak dynamics, it highlights how external powers continue to interpret—and reshape—regional flashpoints to suit their agendas.

The Board of Peace, while ostensibly focused on Gaza, now appears to encompass broader Middle East and South Asian stability efforts. Pakistan's involvement could signal deepening US-Pakistan ties in counterterrorism and minerals—key for batteries and defence tech—amid competition with China in these domains.

From an Indian strategic lens, Rubio's engagement with Sharif raises questions about US balancing acts in the region. With India advancing indigenous defence manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat, any perceived tilt towards Pakistan on minerals or terror could influence future Quad and I2U2 collaborations.

Trump's tariff threat, though unverified, evokes his transactional diplomacy style, now revived in his second term. Whether it genuinely swayed the 2024 ceasefire remains contested, but it amplifies his image as a peacemaker among allies like Pakistan.

As the US navigates alliances, this meeting may presage intensified focus on critical minerals from Pakistan, which holds reserves of lithium and rare earths vital for aerospace and missile systems. For defence analysts tracking supply chains, this partnership warrants close scrutiny.

India's measured response—sticking to facts without dignifying exaggerations—reinforces its non-alignment in mediation matters. Yet, the optics of Sharif's effusive thanks could ripple through domestic politics in both nations, fuelling debates on leadership legacies.

The Rubio-Sharif parley blends Gaza peace efforts with hard-nosed geopolitics, where Trump's 2024 claims serve as diplomatic currency. South Asia watches as narratives clash, with implications for bilateral trust and great-power competition.

ANI