Priyanka Tiwari
Share
Suspense crime, Digital Desk : At first glance, a hypothetical lunch meeting between a potential President Donald Trump and Pakistan's powerful Army Chief, General Asim Munir, would send alarm bells ringing in New Delhi. Historically, close US-Pakistan ties have often come at India's expense.
However, a deeper look at the current geopolitical landscape suggests that such a meeting would have surprisingly little to do with India. Instead, it would be a pragmatic, transactional negotiation driven by the separate, urgent priorities of Washington and Islamabad.
Senior US officials often engage w/Pakistani army chiefs, but rarely is one hosted at the White House by the US President. One of many reasons why Munir’s scheduled meeting with Trump is so significant-and especially as his administration considers its options re the war in Iran.
— Michael Kugelman (@MichaelKugelman) June 18, 2025
Here’s why India would likely be a footnote, not the focus, of their conversation.
1. Pakistan's Focus is Survival, Not Kashmir
Pakistan is currently grappling with a perfect storm of crises. Its economy is on life support, heavily dependent on IMF bailouts and foreign aid. The country faces severe political instability and, most critically, a resurgent terrorism threat from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating from Afghanistan.
For General Munir, the primary objective of any meeting with a US leader would be to secure American support—diplomatic, financial, and military—to tackle these existential domestic threats. The historic obsession with Kashmir, while always a factor, takes a backseat when the state itself is faltering.
2. Trump's "America First" Doctrine is Transactional
Donald Trump's foreign policy is not driven by historical alliances but by a simple question: "What's in it for America?" He views international relations as a series of deals. In this context, his main interest in Pakistan would not be to mediate the Kashmir dispute but to ensure the country helps manage the fallout from the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Trump’s key demand would likely be for Pakistan to crack down on terrorist groups and prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a launchpad for international attacks. He would want a "deal" where Pakistan guarantees security on its western border in exchange for American assistance.
3. India Has Outgrown the Hyphenation
The biggest change in the last decade is India's own strategic ascent. Washington no longer views the region through a simplistic "India-Pakistan" lens. India is now a crucial pillar of America's Indo-Pacific strategy, a key member of the QUAD alliance, and a major economic and defense partner in its own right.
The US relationship with India is now so deep and multifaceted that it stands independently of what happens with Pakistan. India is too important a strategic partner to be used as a bargaining chip in a conversation with Islamabad.
In short, a Trump-Munir meeting would be about a desperate Pakistan seeking a lifeline and a transactional US leader seeking a security guarantee. For a confident and globally integrated India, it would be a notable event to observe, but not one to fear.
Read More: Pakistan and Afghanistan Border Tensions Flare Up with Night Long Heavy Firing
