Trump Administration Seeks Pakistan's Help For Promoting “Durable Peace Between Israel and Iran”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to discuss promoting “a durable peace between Israel and Iran,” the State Department said in a statement, according to Reuters. Both leaders "agreed to continue working together to strengthen Pakistan-US relations, particularly to increase trade", said a statement released by the Pakistan government.
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| Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio |
The call came after Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire to end what President Donald Trump described as a "12-day war". It is yet another indication of Pakistan's close ties with both Tehran and Washington. Pakistan strongly condemned Israel's "unprovoked attack" and the US bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. It also shows Washington’s growing engagement with Islamabad at a time when the Trump administration is exploring a new diplomatic initiative with Tehran, possibly “as early as next week”. President Trump met Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House last week where they discussed Iran, which Trump said Pakistan knew about better than most other countries.
Earlier in May this year, President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary Rubio arranged India-Pakistan ceasefire after 4 days of fighting between the two South Asian neighbors. Testifying before the US Congress earlier this month, the US Central Command Chief General Michael Kurilla described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world”. This statement coincided with the Washington visit of the Indian parliamentary delegation led by Shashi Tharoor. Tharoor's delegation's aim was to "isolate Pakistan" after the Pahalgam militant attack in Kashmir which India blamed on Pakistan without presenting any evidence.
Pakistan also enjoys close ties with China and Russia. China-Pakistan friendship has meant significant diplomatic support and massive investment in infrastructure, as well as the state-of-the-art military hardware for the country's armed forces. Russia, too, has drawn closer to Pakistan. It has recently agreed to invest in a modern steel plant in Karachi where an abandoned Soviet-era steel mill stands today.
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| Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers |
At a recent Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers meeting in China, nine member countries(China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus) rejected India's attempt to insert a reference to Pahalgam in the joint statement. Earlier, India distanced itself from SCO's joint condemnation of Israel’s attacks on Iran. India also abstained from voting on a UN resolution regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, specifically related to the humanitarian situation in Gaza. This decision continues India's pattern of abstaining on resolutions criticizing Israel.
While India claims the mantle of the "Global South" leadership, its actions do not align with its ambition. On the other hand, Pakistan's policies and actions are much more aligned with those of the BRICS nations. Pakistan is not currently a member of the BRICS yet, but both China and Russia have publicly expressed support for its inclusion as a full member.
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Comments
Türkiye is positioning itself in three crucial geographical, geopolitical, geoeconomic, and geostrategic hubs, where these countries act as 'key allies' in the Southeast and South Asia region
Md. Nazmul Islam |
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/opinion/opinion-turkiye-s-asia-anew-initiative-strengthening-ties-with-malaysia-indonesia-and-pakistan/3483433
Nations such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan perceive Türkiye as a reliable ally, believing that if they were to face external challenges, Türkiye would be among the first or possibly the only country to offer support
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What makes Asia a priority, and why were Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan chosen?
In recent times, global politics has been shifting significantly, largely due to China’s rise and its strategic influence, particularly in Asia. The USA's response to China’s expansion further underscores the region’s growing geopolitical importance. Additionally, initiatives such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or BRICS, alongside the US Indo-Pacific Strategy, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), or AUKUS, highlight why Asia remains a focal point for international politics, especially for nations aspiring to attain great power status.
Given this perspective, it is obvious that Türkiye, following its crucial role, advocacy, and support, if needed for Syria, Azerbaijan, Somalia, or Qatar, is on the path to becoming an emerging great power. However, to achieve this goal, Türkiye needs more reliable partners and strong allies. In this context, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan stand out as strategic choices, offering Türkiye the necessary support and opportunities to establish a stronger presence in the region.
Strategically, the geopolitical significance of these three countries explains why Türkiye has chosen to strengthen its cooperation with them. Türkiye is positioning itself in three crucial geographical, geopolitical, geoeconomic, and geostrategic hubs, where these countries act as "key allies" in the Southeast and South Asia region. The entire partnership is founded on a mutually beneficial ‘win-win’ cooperation.
Türkiye aims to prioritize expanding trade and economic ties, followed by enhancing defense cooperation through this partnership. Malaysia and Indonesia are particularly strategic choices for Türkiye due to their significant geoeconomic and geostrategic positions, as both hold strong economic influence globally and regionally. While the partnership initially focused on economic collaboration, both Malaysia and Indonesia have shown a keen interest in deepening defense relations. Türkiye already has a strong defense presence in these countries, with ASELSAN operating a branch in Malaysia and BAYKAR recently signing a major defense partnership with Indonesia during the latest visit. This demonstrates a shared commitment to expanding collaboration beyond trade to include cultural, educational, and broader economic cooperation.
Pakistan’s inclusion is also crucial due to its significant geopolitical role for Türkiye, particularly in shaping its future role in international politics. As highlighted by President Erdogan’s recent visit, Türkiye is seeking not only to expand trade with Pakistan but also to establish a stronger geostrategic and geo-security presence in Central and West Asia. Looking ahead, Türkiye’s growing engagement in Central Asia will be more effective with a solid foothold in Pakistan. To achieve this, Türkiye should prioritize forging a robust defense pact with Pakistan, which could later be expanded to include countries like Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Such a strategic alliance would bolster Türkiye’s regional leadership while allowing it to maintain an independent stance without being drawn into the power struggle between the USA and China.
@Rabs_AA
When a leading analyst like Ashley Tellis argues that India’s Pakistan obsession is self-defeating and strategically incoherent, it’s worth paying attention. His Foreign Affairs piece lays bare how New Delhi’s fixation on outmaneuvering Pakistan continues to undercut India’s ability to confront its real challenge: China.
Modi’s government is only the latest in a line of Indian leaderships that have struggled with this. As Tellis points out, India’s strategic autonomy mantra and its reluctance to align squarely with the United States has long been framed as a multipolar ideal. Yet this posture has delivered neither security nor the great-power status India seeks.
If India has not managed a fundamental shift despite two decades of deepening U.S. ties, what exactly would it take for such a redirection to happen? Until then, India remains caught in a cycle of balancing illusions, unable to transcend its own Pakistan complex and unwilling to fully anchor its future in a coherent grand strategy.
https://x.com/Rabs_AA/status/1939684438503264528
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Will the Modi government’s policies and beliefs thwart India’s international ambitions?
https://www.youtube.com/live/pnev9iJ3LZI
India believes it could be a rival of China in 25 year’s time. But is that likely? India wants to be a superpower by 2050. But is that a realistic ambition? In other words, is Viksit Bharat achievable? Ashley Tellis, The Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, believes India’s economic performance, its foreign affairs strategies and the authoritarian and illiberal practices of the Modi government could thwart India’s proud ambitions. That’s the message of his recent essay in Foreign Affairs magazine. But what are his reasons for coming to this conclusion?
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India’s Great-Power Delusions
How New Delhi’s Grand Strategy Thwarts Its Grand Ambitions
Ashley J. Tellis
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/india/indias-great-power-delusions
Since the turn of the century, the United States has sought to help India rise as a great power.
In military terms, it is the most significant conventional power in South Asia, but here, too, its advantages over its local rival are not enormous: in fighting in May, Pakistan used Chinese-supplied defense systems to shoot down Indian aircraft. With China on one side and an adversarial Pakistan on the other, India must always fear the prospect of an unpalatable two-front war. Meanwhile, at home, the country is shedding one of its main sources of strength—its liberal democracy—by embracing Hindu nationalism. This evolution could undermine India’s rise by intensifying communal tensions and exacerbating problems with its neighbors, forcing it to redirect security resources inward to the detriment of outward power projection. The country’s illiberal pivot further undermines the rules-based international order that has served it so well.
Harmeet KKaur
@HarmeetKKaur
"The emperor is naked!"
Modi 3.0
Modi’s Hollow Vishwaguru persona,
Diminished at Home, Diminished abroad .
Hartosh Singh Bal and Sushant Singh, discuss how Narendra Modi’s projected image as a “vishwaguru” is visionless and merely a spectacle aimed at his nationalist fanbase in India.
The Reflection of Modi’s diminished status in his third term, both in the BJP and vis-à-vis the RSS.
Modi’s role, from State Elections to Operation Sindoor, is now far smaller than the Prime Minister once insisted on.
Objective analysis by Hartosh Singh Bal and Sushant Singh, Calm and collected demeanour .
https://youtu.be/VYcQBSEtJdA?si=CditzA3NGhIWbXQj
https://x.com/HarmeetKKaur/status/1939660004224573805
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/op-sindoor-losses-due-to-restrictions-on-hitting-military-targets-navy-officer-101751204975610.html
NEW DELHI: India lost some fighter jets on the opening day of the recent military confrontation with Pakistan due to initial restrictions imposed by the government on striking Pakistani military establishments and the orders were to hit only terror infrastructure in that country, India’s defence attache (Indian Navy Captain Shiv Kumar) to Indonesia said at a seminar in Jakarta.
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The Government Tied IAF’s Hand
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https://youtu.be/Igudij1lRvk?si=8nIN1_gmkY9rApKz
SEAD, which stands for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses, is a military tactic focused on neutralizing or destroying enemy air defense systems.It's a critical component of air operations, designed to allow friendly aircraft to operate more safely and effectively in contested airspace. SEAD operations aim to degrade or eliminate the threat posed by enemy air defenses, such as surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), enabling offensive air operations.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
What SEAD does:
Neutralizes or destroys enemy air defenses:
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SEAD missions target and eliminate enemy air defense systems, including radar installations, missile sites, and anti-aircraft artillery.
Enables freedom of movement for friendly air forces:
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By reducing the threat from enemy air defenses, SEAD allows friendly aircraft to operate more freely and effectively, supporting broader air operations.
Supports all air operations:
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SEAD is a fundamental part of air power, supporting everything from preemptive strikes to local air superiority missions.
How SEAD is achieved:
Physical attack:
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SEAD can involve direct strikes on enemy air defense systems using bombs, missiles, or other munitions.
Electronic warfare:
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SEAD can also employ electronic warfare techniques, such as jamming enemy radar or using decoys to confuse their systems.
Information and command-and-control warfare:
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Targeting the enemy's ability to detect, track, and engage friendly aircraft is also a crucial part of SEAD.
@Rabs_AA
If it still takes an official statement by India’s Foreign Minister to convince Quad partners about India’s counterterrorism compulsions, then Ashley Tellis was right, India’s Pakistan obsession is a domestic compulsion, not a shared global concern. May 2025 should have clarified who provoked whom. That it didn’t, says more about how unconvinced India’s partners remain of its actions than about any imagined consensus on Pakistan.
https://x.com/Rabs_AA/status/1940114049657614515
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Sadanand Dhume
@dhume
Pretty unambiguous statement here from Jaishankar in Washington. Bottomline: For the Quad to work for India the grouping will have to take on board Indian concerns about Pakistan-backed terrorist groups.
https://x.com/dhume/status/1940083684025028766
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Dr. S. Jaishankar
@DrSJaishankar
My remarks to the press before Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington DC.
https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1940050732662845466
Going Underground
@GUnderground_TV
🚨IS INDIA🇮🇳 A TROJAN HORSE WITHIN BRICS?
‘I think that India has been a problem for the BRICS. I think perhaps the major problem for the BRICS is India. India is an outlier. I don’t want to exaggerate, but some people even say that India’s a sort of Trojan horse inside BRICS.
I wouldn’t go that far, but I do think that Modi has shown some strange things from my perspective. How can he support Israel? How can he have a good relationship with Netanyahu when Netanyahu and Israel are doing what they’re doing?
What does that say about India? How do the Indian people feel when they see their government supporting a genocide in Gaza and silent on unilateral attacks against Iran by the US and Israel?
I understand what the motivations of India are. You know, also India fears China and feels the need to maintain a certain proximity with the US.
But that has become a major factor of weakness inside the BRICS grouping, in my opinion.’
-Prof. Paulo Nogueira Batista Jr., former Vice President of the New Development Bank, on the latest episode of Going Underground ahead of the BRICS+ Summit in Rio
FULL INTERVIEW BELOW IN THE REPLIES👇
https://x.com/GUnderground_TV/status/1941419967640928505