Exuberance at Trump's Pakistan tweet should be replaced by the realisation that India's challenge only grows
US President Donald Trump's scathing and unrestrained attack on Pakistan may have drawn cheers on the Indian side of the subcontinent, but Indian authorities would do well to restrain their joy, as the comments come from a US President who is known for his misinformed impulsiveness.
For those unaware of the recent happenings, Trump, in a tweet that was characterised by its lack of diplomacy tweeted: "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools," and added: "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"
The tweets and the subsequent decision of the US government to withhold $255 million in military aid, are however only a reflection of a growing frigidity in the relations between the US and Pakistan which go back right to the cold war years when the US was a close partner to Pakistan in its fight against the Soviet Union, while India was a close partner to the Soviet Union.
Things have changed since then. Today Pakistan is far closer to China while India has moved closer to the US while also maintaining a strong relationship with Russia.
More than rejoice, Indian authorities should view the decision with a healthy dose of circumspection, especially since the move could see China playing an even bigger role in Pakistan and consequently also Afghanistan.
While one cannot dispute that Pakistan supports and continues to support terrorism, it is also one of the worst victims of terrorism itself and the US has been periodically conducting drone attacks on Pakistani soil with the knowledge of the Pakistani government.
With one tweet, Trump could have seriously jeopardised the US sponsored war against terrorism in Afghanistan, which the US will not be able to successfully maintain without the support of Pakistan.
If anything, it will be India's biggest rival China that will be rejoicing in the decision as it is plainly evident that China will seek to occupy the space that the US is seeking to vacate and further marginalise India's influence in the region.
Indian authorities will need to think quickly and swiftly to ensure that its interests in the region are not compromised -- this mainly revolves around Afghanistan where India has a significant stake and with the weakening of America's influence and growing of China and Pakistan's influence, India finds itself at crossroads. If anything, Donald Trump's tweets should be seen as the clearest sign that the next few years and decades will only see India's challenge in Afghanistan growing.
