According to a Financial Times report, Pakistan-US relations have experienced a dramatic and unexpected improvement, leaving India deeply concerned. This diplomatic shift stems from recent high-level engagements between the Donald Trump administration and Pakistan’s military leadership.
In a series of notable developments, Field Marshal General Asim Munir undertook two high-profile visits to the United States this summer. The most recent trip was to Florida, where he attended the retirement ceremony of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Chief General Michael Kurilla. Earlier, in June, General Munir had a private two-hour luncheon with President Donald Trump, held just a month after one of the deadliest India-Pakistan border clashes in decades.
This meeting holds added significance because Trump had previously made harsh public criticisms of Pakistan. Analysts now see a complete turnaround in the bilateral dynamic. Michael Kugelman, Senior Analyst at the Asia Pacific Foundation, told the Financial Times:
“The progress in US-Pakistan relations is surprising. I’d call it an unexpected reset—practically a new era. Pakistan has mastered the art of engaging this unconventional US president.”
The report credits Pakistan’s success to a comprehensive strategic approach—combining counterterrorism cooperation, targeted access to Trump’s business network, energy and mineral resource agreements, crypto-currency partnerships, and proactive positive messaging toward the White House.
A major breakthrough occurred in March, when Pakistan captured and handed over a key ISIS-K (Islamic State Khorasan) operative to US authorities. The suspect was believed to be the mastermind of the 2021 Kabul Airport bombing. President Trump publicly praised the arrest during his State of the Union Address, calling it a major Pakistani success.
In April, Trump-backed World Liberty Financial signed a deal with Pakistan’s Crypto Council, further strengthening economic ties. During the visit, one of the project’s founders highlighted Pakistan’s vast mineral wealth.
The changing diplomatic tides have angered India, particularly after the US increased import tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, while keeping Pakistan’s tariff rate at just 19%. Adding to tensions, Trump claimed the US had mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May—something Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly denied, insisting it was achieved through direct military negotiations.
Keywords: Pakistan-US relations, Donald Trump Pakistan, General Asim Munir US visit, US-Pakistan diplomacy, India-Pakistan tensions, Trump foreign policy, ISIS-K mastermind arrest, Pakistan crypto partnership, World Liberty Financial, US import tariffs India Pakistan.
