For the past two decades, the United States has made an enormous bet in the Asia-Pacific—that treating India as a key partner will help the US secure its geopolitical interests in the region. From George W. Bush onward, successive US administrations have bolstered India`s military capabilities. During his recent visit to Washington, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump in their wide-ranging joint statement at the White House agreed to give a new impetus to their defense cooperation by transferring advanced military technologies to India.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitments to eliminating terrorism while adding a Pakistan-specific reference that has no basis. This has once again sparked concerns about the Trump administration`s biased South Asia policy by continuing the legacy of the Biden administration policy toward the region which ended by imposing sanctions on Pakistan’s missile program while playing no role in promoting broader regional interests.
US president does not take into account India’s sponsorship of terrorism, subversion, and extrajudicial killings in the region and beyond, nor its hate crimes against Muslims
Washington has again chosen to ignore the obvious danger of supporting India`s military might and aggressive policies. Instead, it is providing advanced military technologies to India including the sale of state-of-the-art fighter jets which will make India part of an exclusive group of countries, including the NATO allies—Israel and Japan, authorized to purchase the F-35s known for their stealth capabilities and supersonic speed.
Surprisingly, the US president, in wide-ranging discussions, does not take into account India’s sponsorship of terrorism, subversion, and extrajudicial killings in the region and beyond, and its hate crimes against Muslims and other minorities in India, by maintaining its effective silence. The killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil and plotting to kill an American citizen have already exposed Indian state-sponsored terrorism.
Furthermore, Washington is turning a blind eye to the Indian government’s brutalities in the Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOK), where innocent people are being killed and tortured by the occupation forces daily with impunity, failing to address non-compliance of India with the UNSC resolutions. Unfortunately, in complete disrespect of international law and the UN Charter, the Modi-led Indian government is pursuing its hegemonic designs, threatening international peace and security.
The US needs to adopt an unbiased policy for South Asia given the region`s history, which is characterized by major wars, and the unending rivalry between the two nuclear-armed neighbours
The Modi-Trump talks also “pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors”. However, it is important to note that the US military support to India undermines the very aim of the global non-proliferation regime and the US commitments to the non-proliferation efforts. Such initiatives would only undermine the already weekend arms control regimes and global efforts for non-proliferation.
The US continued support to India is only resulting in a strategic imbalance in South Asia, intensifying India-Pakistan rivalry and Pakistan’s threat perceptions, and fueling the regional arms race and action-reaction syndrome. The Indo-US defense cooperation and the geopolitical interests of the US are affecting the existing treaties and hindering progress towards meaningful dialogues and cooperation as it privileges its national preference over the collective.
The US is supporting India`s military modernization at the expense of regional security and stability. Also, the development of nuclear-capable long-range missiles by India is posing a serious threat to global peace and security alongside its poor nuclear safety and security record and aggressive military posturing.
To maintain global peace an escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours has to be averted
Pakistan and India are already on the brink of a dangerous nuclear escalation due to the absence of institutionalized confidence-building measures (CBMs), the suspension of diplomatic ties between Islamabad and New Delhi, and the Indian government’s aggressive military posture in South Asia. In such an uncertain security environment, strategic stability is not only key to peace and security in the region but also to maintaining global peace as an escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors has the potential to engulf global peace.
The US is only exacerbating military imbalances in South Asia by supplying advanced military technologies to India. The US needs to adopt an unbiased policy for South Asia given the region`s history, which is characterized by major wars, the unending rivalry between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, and unresolved disputes, which continue to create threats to regional peace and stability. The US should not ignore Pakistan`s two-decade-long cooperation with the US in its war on terror due to which Pakistan suffered economically. Besides, it resulted in the loss of thousands of its people.
In the immediate term, the US should stop providing India with advanced military technologies realizing its widespread implications. The Trump administration should support and promote initiatives for peace and stability in the region. Lastly, to counter the Indian threats at all levels, Pakistan has no other option but to maintain the credibility of its nuclear deterrence.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.
