US Says Ties with Both India and Pakistan ‘Good’; Denies Playing Favourites

Washington, Aug 2025 : The United States maintains a “good” relationship with both India and Pakistan, the US State Department has said, emphasising that American diplomats remain “committed to both nations” and are working to encourage stability in the region.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Washington’s engagement with both New Delhi and Islamabad is positive news not just for South Asia but also for the global community. Such ties, she argued, can help bridge differences and promote a more constructive future.

“I would say that our relationship with both nations is as it has been, which is good. And that is the benefit of having a President who knows everyone, talks to everyone, and that is how we can bring differences together in this case. So it’s clear that the diplomats here are committed to both nations,” Bruce stated.

Her remarks came in response to a question about whether Pakistan could see increased US arms sales following the recent meeting between Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and President Donald Trump. The reporter had also asked if this development might strain Trump’s ties with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Referring to the conflict between India and Pakistan in May this year, Bruce noted, “Obviously, we had an experience with Pakistan and India when there was a conflict — one that could have developed into something quite horrible.” She said there had been “immediate concern and immediate movement” from senior US leaders, including Vice President JD Vance, President Trump, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, to address the crisis.

“We described the nature of the phone calls, the work that we did to stop the attacks and then bring the parties together so we could have something that was enduring,” she added, claiming that top American leadership was directly involved in preventing “a potential catastrophe.”

However, India has consistently maintained that the cessation of hostilities between the two countries was the result of direct talks between their militaries and did not involve any US mediation.

During the same briefing, Bruce also cited other peace efforts in which the US claims to have played a role. She said the recent peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan followed similar negotiated settlements between Cambodia and Thailand, Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Serbia and Kosovo.

Meanwhile, in a separate interview on Tuesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised President Trump’s approach to conflict resolution. “Credit goes to President Trump for helping bring several conflicts around the world to an end,” Rubio said.

Trump, for his part, reiterated his intention to be known as “the President of peace.” In an interview with Sid and Friends in the Morning, he stated: “Any time we see a conflict where we think we can make a difference, we get involved, and we’ve had good success in that regard — India-Pakistan, Thailand-Cambodia, the peace deal with Azerbaijan and Armenia, just a few days ago.”