US woos Pakistan while China pays bill, India left on sidelines, says article
Islamabad: In a move that has triggered unease in New Delhi, the warmth between Washington and Islamabad, exemplified by US President Donald Trump’s high-profile lunch with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House, marks a strategic shift that India views with growing wariness, writes Gunjan Singh in Deccan Herald.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Gunjan Singh, who is Associate Professor at OP Jindal Global University, in Indian state of Haryana, in his article goes on to add: “What has further complicated the regional chessboard is that while the United States courts Pakistan, it is China that continues to ‘foot the bill,’ especially through its expansive funding of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Analysts in India believe this rekindled US-Pakistan bonhomie is not just symbolic; rather, it reflects Washington’s recognition of Pakistan’s continuing relevance in regional stability, particularly in the backdrop of the recent Israel-Iran conflict where Islamabad played a delicate balancing act.
The article said, even as Pakistan condemned the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities — part of its effort to keep ties intact with long-time ally China — it continues to be at the center of US geopolitical maneuvers. Simultaneously, Beijing’s long-term commitment to Islamabad remains unwavering, rooted in a shared strategic objective: to counterbalance India.
The cornerstone of China’s involvement in Pakistan is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a multi-billion-dollar initiative under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Launched in 2015 with an initial pledge of $62 billion, the CPEC aims to connect China’s western Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port on the Arabian Sea.
The vision was transformational: highways, energy plants, railways, and Special Economic Zones intended to uplift Pakistan’s economy and entrench bilateral strategic cooperation.
Meanwhile, New Delhi’s discomfort has only grown. At the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Qingdao, China chose to raise the Balochistan train hijack incident while remaining silent on the Pahalgam attack, a decision perceived by India as indicative of Beijing’s unwavering support to Pakistan, Gunjan Singh wrote.
Indian analysts view the CPEC not merely as an economic initiative but as a “strategic framework” designed to cement Pakistan’s regional posture against India. Some fear that India’s Chabahar port in Iran may not be enough of a counterbalance to Gwadar, especially given Pakistan’s deeper entrenchment with both China and the US.
Despite internal setbacks — from economic stagnation and energy crises to internal security challenges — Pakistan remains central to the regional puzzle. Its role as a bridge between China and the Muslim world, and now a potential mediator in broader geopolitical crises, has made it indispensable to both Beijing and Washington, albeit for different reasons.
What emerges is a dual reality: Washington courts Pakistan for strategic stability, while China pays the bill for its long-term influence. For India, the challenge is to recalibrate its strategy in a rapidly polarizing regional landscape — where old allies are finding new equations and New Delhi must watch, warily.
