Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, sparked controversy during his US visit, caused a stir with his implied nuclear threats against India, while speaking in Tampa, Florida stated that Pakistan might target Indian dams on the Indus, and that if Pakistan was ever destroyed it would “take half the world with it.” This strife came to light at a time when relations between India and the United States were already deteriorating since President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 50% tariff on imports from India. President Trump was also critical of India’s trade hostile to the tariffs and its defence relationship with Russia.
Developments in Munir’s trip included meetings with US military officials, and Washington reaffirmed its partnership with Pakistan as vital to “nuclear security in South Asia.” This will likely further provoke New Delhi because India accused Munir of supporting rhetoric that caused a terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir that killed 26 people. India immediately struck back with “Operation Sindoor,” on terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), followed with claims of an imminent second wave of operations. Both sides had agreed on a “ceasefire” on May 10; however, Trump took credit for brokering that agreement, a claim India rejected, and Pakistan supported. The continuing episode points to the deteriorating regional situation, expanding US-Pakistani military relationship, and worsening trade relations and the US-India relationship.
