NEW DELHI: Former diplomat Vikas Swarup on Wednesday cautioned that the United States is making a "strategic mistake" by deepening ties with Pakistan, a country closely aligned with China, which he called a strategic competitor of the US. He also spoke on rising trade tensions, saying Washington’s recent tariffs on Indian goods are part of a broader pressure tactic.
"I think it's a strategic mistake on the part of the US that you are getting into bed with Pakistan, which is in bed with China. China is the US' strategic competitor," said the former high commissioner to Canada during an interview with ANI.
His remarks come after Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir made provocative statements in Florida, suggesting Pakistan could use nuclear weapons to "take down India and half the world" in an existential crisis.
Addressing ongoing trade tensions between New Delhi and Washington, Swarup noted that India had resisted pressure from the US to open its agriculture and dairy markets, describing recent 50% tariffs by US President Donald Trump as part of a broader pressure tactic.
Swarup highlighted that President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods due to India's BRICS membership and Operation Sindoor . "We have to understand why these tariffs have been imposed. I personally feel that there are three reasons. One, Trump is not happy with India because we are a member of BRICS and somehow, in his head, he has got this notion that BRICS is an anti-America alliance which is hell-bent on creating an alternative currency to the dollar. So, because of that, he feels that India should not be a member of the BRICS. Two, Operation Sindoor and his so-called role in bringing about the ceasefire," Swarup said.
Swarup added, "We have been saying right from the beginning that Trump had no role because we do not accept external mediation. This ceasefire was mediated directly between the DGMOs of Pakistan and India at the request of the DGMO of Pakistan. Trump has now said almost 30 times that it was he who got the two countries to stop back from the brink, who stopped a nuclear conflagration in the subcontinent. So, obviously he is miffed that India has not acknowledged his role, whereas Pakistan has not only acknowledged his role but has even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize."
India had carried out Operation Sindoor in early May in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK. India had repelled subsequent Pakistani aggression and targeted its airbases.
The former diplomat also underscored that the US is pushing India to sign the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with favourable terms for the US, particularly in dairy, agriculture, and GM crops. He further added that India has not caved in to US pressure, and the tariffs are part of Trump’s pressure tactics.
"...This is part of his pressure tactics to get India to sign on the dotted line on the maximalist demands that the US is making with regard to access to our dairy and agriculture and GM Crops. We have not caved in and it is also in a way a signal to Russia because he is also frustrated that he has not been able to get President Putin to agree to the ceasefire that Zelenskyy has agreed to," Swarup said, as quoted by ANI.
Swarup referred to the summit meeting between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska on August 15 over the Ukraine conflict. He predicted that if the talks yield positive results, Russia's sanctions will likely be lifted, as Putin won't accept a ceasefire while facing economic sanctions. "Now they are meeting in Alaska on 15th August. If there is a positive outcome of the Alaska talks then I am 100% sure that the Russia sanctions will be off the table because Putin is not going to accept a ceasefire and yet be saddled with economic sanctions," he said.
"I think it's a strategic mistake on the part of the US that you are getting into bed with Pakistan, which is in bed with China. China is the US' strategic competitor," said the former high commissioner to Canada during an interview with ANI.
His remarks come after Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir made provocative statements in Florida, suggesting Pakistan could use nuclear weapons to "take down India and half the world" in an existential crisis.
Addressing ongoing trade tensions between New Delhi and Washington, Swarup noted that India had resisted pressure from the US to open its agriculture and dairy markets, describing recent 50% tariffs by US President Donald Trump as part of a broader pressure tactic.
Swarup highlighted that President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods due to India's BRICS membership and Operation Sindoor . "We have to understand why these tariffs have been imposed. I personally feel that there are three reasons. One, Trump is not happy with India because we are a member of BRICS and somehow, in his head, he has got this notion that BRICS is an anti-America alliance which is hell-bent on creating an alternative currency to the dollar. So, because of that, he feels that India should not be a member of the BRICS. Two, Operation Sindoor and his so-called role in bringing about the ceasefire," Swarup said.
Swarup added, "We have been saying right from the beginning that Trump had no role because we do not accept external mediation. This ceasefire was mediated directly between the DGMOs of Pakistan and India at the request of the DGMO of Pakistan. Trump has now said almost 30 times that it was he who got the two countries to stop back from the brink, who stopped a nuclear conflagration in the subcontinent. So, obviously he is miffed that India has not acknowledged his role, whereas Pakistan has not only acknowledged his role but has even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize."
India had carried out Operation Sindoor in early May in response to the Pahalgam terror attack and carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK. India had repelled subsequent Pakistani aggression and targeted its airbases.
The former diplomat also underscored that the US is pushing India to sign the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) with favourable terms for the US, particularly in dairy, agriculture, and GM crops. He further added that India has not caved in to US pressure, and the tariffs are part of Trump’s pressure tactics.
"...This is part of his pressure tactics to get India to sign on the dotted line on the maximalist demands that the US is making with regard to access to our dairy and agriculture and GM Crops. We have not caved in and it is also in a way a signal to Russia because he is also frustrated that he has not been able to get President Putin to agree to the ceasefire that Zelenskyy has agreed to," Swarup said, as quoted by ANI.
Swarup referred to the summit meeting between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska on August 15 over the Ukraine conflict. He predicted that if the talks yield positive results, Russia's sanctions will likely be lifted, as Putin won't accept a ceasefire while facing economic sanctions. "Now they are meeting in Alaska on 15th August. If there is a positive outcome of the Alaska talks then I am 100% sure that the Russia sanctions will be off the table because Putin is not going to accept a ceasefire and yet be saddled with economic sanctions," he said.
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