US Ambassador's 2016 Warning on India-Pakistan Relations Resurfaces
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has consistently emphasized the strong ties between the US, India, and Pakistan. As the US strengthens its strategic and economic partnership with India in 2025, an older video featuring US Ambassador Nicholas Burns has gained attention online. This footage, recorded during a 2016 event at the Brookings Institution, highlights the complexities of US relations with both South Asian nations.
Burns pointed out the distinct differences in how Washington engages with India compared to Pakistan, a distinction that is increasingly significant in light of current geopolitical shifts. He warned against the misconception that the US treats both countries equally, stating, "It would be a grave error to frame our relations with these two nations as if they require equal interest and treatment. Our relationship with India is fundamentally different—far more positive, engaged, and integrated than with Pakistan."
During his discussion on regional stability and the historical context of US diplomacy in South Asia, Burns reflected on the significant changes since the Kargil conflict in 1999. He recalled how the US had a closer relationship with Pakistan back then, allowing leaders like President Clinton and Strobe Talbott to help de-escalate crises due to their influence in Islamabad.
However, by 2016, Burns noted that the US's leverage had diminished. He remarked, "I don’t believe President Obama possesses the same level of influence now. The US-Pakistan relationship has deteriorated due to our lack of trust in Pakistan's ability to combat terrorist groups on its territory, which have resulted in American casualties in Afghanistan."
To further illustrate the strategic shift, Burns referenced former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who stated in March 2005 that it was not strategically sound for the US to maintain equal interests in both countries, especially as relations with India were on the rise. He expressed a desire to avoid reverting to previous dynamics.
As the US continues to focus on its long-term Indo-Pacific strategy, Burns' comments from 2016 underscore the advancements in US-India relations and clarify why the US no longer seeks to balance its approach between India and Pakistan.