Congress says new US strategy avoids 2017’s strong criticism of Pakistan.
Jairam Ramesh highlights Trump’s repeated claim of settling India-Pakistan conflict.
Strategy emphasises Indo-Pacific security and continued cooperation with India.
The Congress on Saturday used the release of the new US National Security Strategy to criticise the Modi government, arguing that the document signals a clear shift in Washington’s tone on Pakistan and notably avoids the pointed language used in the 2017 strategy. According to PTI, the opposition said the latest text stands in contrast to the Trump-era document, which had accused Islamabad of enabling militants targeting American partners.
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said the 33-page strategy, published by the White House this week, also repeats former US President Donald Trump’s claim that he “settled the raging conflict between India and Pakistan”.
“In his introduction to the document, President Trump reiterates his claim that he ‘settled the raging conflict between India and Pakistan’. The same claim is repeated on Page 8,” Ramesh noted. He also shared screenshots of the sections referring to Trump’s assertions about halting fighting in May.
Ramesh added that the 2025 strategy marks a significant recalibration in Washington’s approach to Pakistan. “It avoids the explicit criticism that defined the 2017 Trump-era strategy document, which openly accused Pakistan of supporting militants targeting US partners, demanded stronger counterterrorism action, and pressed Islamabad to demonstrate responsible management of its nuclear arsenal. The new strategy omits any such references,” he said.
He followed this with a Hindi jibe aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi: “Kya se kya ho gaya, bewafa teri dosti mein’.”
PTI reported that the document, released late Thursday, underscores continued strategic cooperation with India, particularly on Indo-Pacific security challenges and the South China Sea. It also states that the US must keep strengthening commercial and strategic ties with New Delhi, including through the Quad.
The strategy outlines eight conflicts Trump claims to have resolved during his second term, including the May hostilities between India and Pakistan. “President Trump has cemented his legacy as The President of Peace… He negotiated peace between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the DRC and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and ended the war in Gaza with all living hostages returned to their families,” the document states.
Trump has made similar claims repeatedly, often crediting himself for mediating peace between India and Pakistan and for resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict. PTI reported that since 10 May—when Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to an immediate ceasefire after a night of talks facilitated by Washington—he has repeated the claim over 60 times.
New Delhi has consistently rejected any suggestion of third-party mediation. India had launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the 22 April Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Both sides reached an understanding on 10 May to halt hostilities following four days of cross-border drone and missile strikes.
Earlier this week, the Congress had also mocked Modi over Trump’s repeated assertions, saying “no wonder the Modi-Trump huglomacy is in deep freeze.”
(With inputs from PTI)
