External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that the United States’ lack of sensitivity to India’s core security concerns regarding cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan is creating friction in Washington-New Delhi relations. Speaking at an event hosted by the Asia Society in New York, Jaishankar emphasized that India has faced state-sponsored terrorism from a neighboring country as part of a deliberate policy for decades. He noted that a partner country failing to fully appreciate or show empathy toward such a vital national security priority naturally impacts the overall diplomatic relationship.
Context of Evolving US-Pakistan Dynamics:
While Jaishankar did not explicitly name Pakistan during his remarks, his reference pointed directly to India’s longstanding cross-border security challenges. His comments also served as an indirect critique of US President Donald Trump’s administration for fostering closer ties with Islamabad without sufficiently factoring in New Delhi’s deep-rooted concerns over terrorism. Alongside complex bilateral trade negotiations, Jaishankar identified this lack of strategic alignment and empathy on terror as a primary factor influencing the trajectory of current India-US diplomatic engagements.
