- Pakistan-US ties enjoy “unexpected resurgence” under Trump, say analysts.
- Trump offers Islamabad comparatively lighter trade tariffs than New Delhi.
- Pakistan presents itself to US as back channel to rivals Iran, China: report.
Pakistan’s recent charm offensive towards United States President Donald Trump has unsettled New Delhi, the Financial Times (FT) reported, detailing how Islamabad’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir’s warm reception in Washington contrasts sharply with India’s cooling ties with the White House.
According to the report, Munir travelled to Florida last weekend for the retirement ceremony of US Central Command chief General Michael Kurilla, marking his second cordial encounter with top American military officials this summer.
In June, Munir held a two-hour private lunch with Trump in Washington, just weeks after Pakistan and India engaged in their deadliest military confrontation in decades.
Such treatment is unusual for a foreign military leader, the newspaper noted, especially given Trump’s earlier criticism of Pakistan as offering “nothing but lies and deceit” to Washington. Yet the relationship appears to be enjoying what analysts described as an “unexpected resurgence” under the Republican president.
The FT said India was left “seething” by Munir’s White House welcome, as Trump’s administration offered Islamabad comparatively lighter trade tariffs — 19% compared to a punitive 50% on New Delhi — and promised a deal to develop Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves”.
The shift in tone is credited to a targeted Pakistani strategy involving counterterrorism cooperation, business outreach to Trump associates, and deals in energy, critical minerals and cryptocurrency.
Pakistani officials believe urgency was required to repair ties with the US president and his allies, some of whom had previously backed sanctions against Munir over the jailing of former prime minister Imran Khan.
An early breakthrough came in March when Pakistan’s intelligence services handed over an Islamic State Khorasan operative accused of orchestrating a 2021 Kabul bombing that killed 180 people, including 13 US soldiers.
Trump publicly praised the move in his State of the Union address, using the occasion to also criticise India over tariffs.
The report also highlighted Pakistan’s embrace of “crypto diplomacy”, including an agreement between a Trump-backed cryptocurrency venture and Pakistan’s crypto council in April. Since then, Minister for Crypto and Blockchain Bilal bin Saqib has engaged in trade talks with Washington while promoting Pakistan’s digital asset potential to figures close to the US president.
Munir’s conduct during the May conflict with India also bolstered Islamabad’s credibility with Trump, according to Pakistani officials. They said the army chief balanced “strength and restraint” by downing several Indian jets without escalating further, with the US and Gulf states mediating a ceasefire.
“Trump needs success stories to proclaim and Pakistan is happy to give them to him,” said Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistan ambassador to the US now at the Hudson Institute, a think-tank in Washington.
By contrast, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly rejected any suggestion of US mediation, asserting that the agreement with Pakistan came through existing bilateral military channels.
The FT noted that Pakistan is presenting itself to Washington as a back channel to rivals Iran and China, reminiscent of its role in US diplomacy in the 1970s that facilitated Richard Nixon’s opening of US relations with China.
While Islamabad has criticised some American military actions, like strikes against Iran, it has also cast itself as a mediator between the US and its foes.
In late July, Munir flew to Beijing, where he toured the headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army and reassured China’s foreign minister Wang Yi over the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.
“Pakistan is a rare country that is friends with China, Iran, the Gulf states, to a lesser extent, Russia, and now, again, the US,” said Marvin Weinbaum, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington. “The US sees Munir as someone who can play a useful strategic role, and the Pakistanis keep their lines open to everyone but know to pull back when one relationship is clashing with another.”
For India, the burgeoning Trump–Pakistan relationship has proved an irritant, particularly given its failure to avert steep tariffs despite its larger economy. Indian officials expressed frustration at what they see as Washington rewarding a military-ruled neighbour for striking quick business deals.
Analysts cautioned, however, that Trump’s goodwill could prove volatile. According to the FT, Pakistan’s natural resource wealth remains largely unproven, its economy depends on a $7 billion IMF bailout, and recognition of Israel — a possible US expectation — would be politically difficult in Islamabad.
Haqqani told the newspaper that Trump is “playing the Pakistan card” to gain leverage over India. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi warned that while the outreach has yielded short-term gains, Islamabad must protect “both its interests and its dignity” in the unpredictable relationship.
