It’s been a summer of high drama and shifting alliances in South Asia, as the enduring rivalry between India and Pakistan once again took center stage on the world stage. The latest round of conflict, which erupted on April 22, 2025, after a gunman killed 26 tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, has not only tested the nerves of both nations, but also drawn in powerful international players, most notably the United States and China.
According to GZERO Media, the attack in Kashmir was quickly attributed by India to a group allegedly supported by Pakistan—an accusation Islamabad vehemently denied. Within two weeks, the situation escalated dramatically, with both sides exchanging missiles in what many observers called the worst fighting between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades.
As global anxiety mounted, US President Donald Trump announced on May 11, 2025, that a truce had been brokered between India and Pakistan. Yet, as with so many moments in this long-running saga, the story behind the ceasefire is far from straightforward. While Trump’s declaration of a successful intervention made headlines, Indian officials have consistently maintained that the ceasefire was achieved through established military channels, not American mediation.
In fact, as reported by the Hindustan Times, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the truce resulted from Director General of Military Operations (DGMO)-level talks, without any direct US involvement. The timeline provided by Indian sources is telling: on May 10, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio phoned Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, relaying that Pakistan was requesting a ceasefire after India had targeted Pakistan’s Nur Khan air base with BrahMos and SCALP missiles. Jaishankar, according to Indian officials, responded that any ceasefire proposal would need to come through the proper military channels if Pakistan was serious.
In the weeks that followed, the conflict’s diplomatic aftershocks reverberated across continents. Pakistani Army chief General Asim Munir, a central figure in the country’s power structure, became a lightning rod for controversy. On August 11, at a closed-door event for the Pakistani diaspora in Belgium, Munir claimed that India had been “forced to beg for a ceasefire” and that President Trump had to intervene. He boasted that Pakistan had delivered a “befitting reply” by shooting down advanced Indian aircraft, and accused India of “discreetly supporting trans-border terror” in Pakistan, Canada, and the US—allegations that New Delhi has routinely dismissed as baseless.
Munir’s remarks, which were made before an audience of about 500 members of the Pakistani community at Groot-Bijgarden Castle near Brussels, were not recorded, as attendees were barred from bringing mobile phones or recording devices. However, several present recounted his 40-minute address, noting his assertions that the international community “only respects power” and that India had no choice but to request a ceasefire. The general’s comments drew swift condemnation from Indian officials, who labeled his rhetoric as “nuclear sabre-rattling” and evidence of Pakistan’s recklessness.
“Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” the MEA said in a statement, as reported by the Hindustan Times. “The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks, which also reinforce well-held doubts about the integrity of nuclear command and control in a state where the military is hand-in-glove with terrorist groups.”
This wasn’t the only instance of General Munir’s provocative messaging. During a separate appearance in Tampa, Florida, Munir warned that Pakistan would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if its survival were at stake. “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us,” he reportedly declared. Indian officials dismissed these threats as part of a familiar playbook, suggesting that the Pakistani military tends to escalate rhetoric whenever it senses Western backing, and hinting that Munir could harbor political ambitions despite his denials.
Meanwhile, the broader geopolitical context has been shifting in ways that could have lasting implications. After years of frosty relations—especially following the 2011 US raid that killed Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil—Islamabad has launched a charm offensive in Washington. In June 2025, General Munir had a private lunch with President Trump, where the two leaders reportedly discussed counterterrorism cooperation. The following month, Pakistan struck a trade deal with the US, while India found itself on the receiving end of American tariffs, particularly over its continued purchases of Russian oil.
According to GZERO Media, the US is now exploring a mining and hydrocarbons pact with Islamabad, which could open the door for American firms to invest in Pakistan’s southwestern copper and gold reserves. For Pakistan, this represents a rare window of opportunity to build bridges with Washington, especially as India’s own relationship with the US appears to be on shaky ground. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had previously sought closer ties with Washington, now finds himself squeezed between US tariffs and the need to maintain cordial relations with Russia—a key consideration given India’s ongoing tensions with China.
On August 19, 2025, as reported by GZERO Media, Modi was set to meet with China’s top diplomat Wang Yi, underscoring India’s delicate balancing act between major global powers. For Islamabad, there is hope that the current friction between India and the US will allow Pakistan to strengthen its own ties with Washington, whether on the business front or in counterterrorism efforts. “There is a reality check in the United States of America about how Pakistan must not be viewed from the Indian lens,” former Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Khar told Ian Bremmer on a recent episode of GZERO World, “and wanting an independent relation with Pakistan, looking at what Pakistan has to offer to the US and what the US has to offer to Pakistan.”
Yet, as Chietigj Bajpaee, a South Asia expert at Chatham House, cautioned in GZERO Media, there are limits to how far this rapprochement can go. “Short of a rapprochement between Beijing and Washington,” Bajpaee said, “the ‘iron-clad’/‘all-weather’ relationship between China and Pakistan will be a thorn in the US-Pakistan relationship.” Indeed, Pakistan’s deep ties with China—particularly when it comes to the strategic and contested region of Kashmir—remain a sticking point for US policymakers.
For now, the region remains on edge, with both India and Pakistan seeking to leverage their international relationships in pursuit of national interests. The recent conflict has exposed not only the volatility of the subcontinent but also the intricate web of alliances and rivalries that shape its future. As the dust settles on this latest flare-up, one thing is clear: the story of India and Pakistan is far from over, and the world will be watching closely for what comes next.