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In a move that has triggered unease in Indian strategic circles, the United States has invited Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir, to attend the US Army Day celebrations in Washington on June 14. The invitation signals a rekindling of Cold War-style engagement between Washington and Rawalpindi—a development viewed with growing concern in New Delhi.
Far from being a ceremonial gesture, General Munir’s visit follows recent remarks by US CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla, who on June 11 described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counter-terrorism. Kurilla lauded Islamabad’s cooperation in operations against the Islamic State–Khorasan Province (IS-KP) and asserted that the US strategic calculus in South Asia “is not a binary switch.”
Whitewashing a Terror Legacy?
Indian defence analysts have sharply criticised the US posture, warning that it glosses over Pakistan’s longstanding role in supporting terror networks.
“The statement is tone-deaf to India’s core security concerns,” said Lt Col Manoj K Channan (Retd), a defence commentator. “From giving sanctuary to Osama bin Laden to shielding 26/11 masterminds, Pakistan’s terror complicity is well-documented. Calling it a phenomenal partner reflects strategic amnesia—or worse, duplicity.”
While India has never objected to US-Pakistan ties per se, it has consistently opposed the false equivalence between a state fighting terrorism and one credibly accused of exporting it. “If Washington truly sees India as a strategic partner, it must stop equating terror sponsors and terror victims,” Channan said, urging “consistency over convenience” in American foreign policy.
Déjà Vu in Washington’s Military Outreach
The invitation to General Munir has revived old suspicions about America’s selective memory and transactional diplomacy in South Asia. Despite Pakistan’s record of duplicity, Washington has frequently armed and funded its military in the name of regional stability. Analysts fear a return to that flawed playbook.
“The contradiction is glaring,” said a senior Indian official. “On one hand, the US courts India to balance China; on the other, it legitimises Pakistan—China’s closest regional proxy. That undermines both trust and long-term strategic convergence.”
Calculated Move in a Shifting Chessboard
According to sources, Munir’s invitation is part of a broader US recalibration in response to the intensifying China challenge. Pakistan’s geographic location, its links to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and its untapped rare-earth reserves have re-energised American interest.
Yet Washington remains wary of Islamabad’s loyalties. Given Pakistan’s deep entrenchment with Beijing, the US appears to be hedging—seeking selective cooperation on Afghanistan and counterterrorism while avoiding full-scale alignment.
Notably, there is no indication that any senior Indian military official has received a similar invitation for the June 14 celebrations, further fueling perceptions of a strategic slight.
India Must Reassess with Eyes Wide Open
Experts caution that Washington’s tilt toward Pakistan could upset the delicate regional balance. “India is being encircled—from Bangladesh’s political drift to Myanmar’s instability and China’s growing naval assertiveness,” Channan warned. “The US may not be an adversary, but it’s no permanent ally either.”
Quoting Henry Kissinger’s aphorism—“To be America’s enemy is dangerous, but to be its friend is fatal”—Channan called for a strategic course correction. “India must diversify partnerships with France, Israel, Japan, and South Korea. Assert leadership in BRICS and SCO. And shape global narratives where Pakistan’s duplicity is laid bare.”
Kashmir and the Cleric-Driven Narrative
While Washington may privately urge Pakistan to rein in groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Indian officials remain sceptical of any genuine reform. Pakistan is also expected to seek investment in its mineral-rich regions and may attempt to internationalise Kashmir—an issue New Delhi continues to consider strictly bilateral and non-negotiable.
In substance, Munir’s visit may not yield dramatic policy shifts. But symbolically, the red-carpet welcome for a general seen as championing a cleric-driven, anti-India discourse is already being interpreted in New Delhi as a betrayal of shared democratic values.
Strategic Engagement, Not Blind Faith
For India, the takeaway is clear: navigating the US partnership requires strategic sobriety, not sentiment. As the global order evolves and geopolitical tectonics shift, New Delhi must anchor its diplomacy in realism—balancing aspirations with hard national interests.
Huma Siddiqui
