US Administration Doubles Down: Trump's Trade Leverage Credited with De-escalating India-Pakistan Conflict

The United States administration is once again championing former President Donald Trump's diplomatic prowess, specifically reiterating the claim that his strategic use of trade leverage played a pivotal role in de-escalating the long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan. This assertion comes from none other than Robert Lighthizer, the former US Trade Representative, who highlighted the supposed success in an interview with Breitbart News.

Lighthizer's remarks underscore a key philosophy of the Trump administration's trade policy: that economic agreements were not merely about commerce but served as powerful tools for achieving broader geopolitical objectives.

He pointed to the de-escalation of hostilities between the South Asian neighbors as a prime example, suggesting that the impending trade deal with India, coinciding with Trump's high-profile visit to the nation, created an environment ripe for diplomatic breakthroughs.

This isn't the first time such a claim has surfaced from Washington.

Back in February, during his inaugural visit to India, President Trump himself confidently stated that he had 'ended' the protracted conflict between India and Pakistan, seemingly referring to the heightened tensions that followed the Pulwama terror attack and subsequent Balakot airstrikes in 2019. At the time, Trump emphasized that his administration had made 'tremendous progress' in mitigating the fraught relationship.

However, New Delhi's stance on the Kashmir issue, a primary flashpoint in the India-Pakistan dynamic, remains unequivocally clear: it is a bilateral matter, and any third-party mediation is firmly rejected.

India has consistently maintained that discussions with Pakistan, particularly concerning Kashmir, can only occur bilaterally. In stark contrast, Pakistan has often welcomed offers of mediation, including those from the US, viewing them as potential avenues to address the decades-old dispute.

The recurring nature of this claim from the US administration highlights its belief in the efficacy of its 'America First' approach, where economic power is wielded to influence global affairs.

While the historical complexities and deeply entrenched positions of India and Pakistan on Kashmir continue to define their relationship, the US government continues to credit its former President with a significant, albeit disputed, role in diffusing a volatile regional conflict.