'An unreliable partner’: Brahma Chellaney says Donald Trump’s ceasefire boast exposes hard truths for India

Donald Trump’s latest claim that he used trade threats to halt India’s military action against Pakistan has reignited a deeper conversation in New Delhi: Can the U.S. be trusted as a steadfast security partner? 

For India, this isn’t just about fact-checking Trump’s boasts. It’s about recalibrating expectations in an unpredictable geopolitical landscape.

Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney weighed in with a blunt assessment on X: “Delhi should thank Trump not for his intervention, but for exposing a hard truth: the U.S., under his leadership, is an unreliable partner in matters of strategic security and counterterrorism. That awareness is a gift, however unintentional, and should guide India’s future geopolitical calculations.”

Rather than dismissing Trump’s statements as political bluster, Chellaney urged India to take his words seriously. “If true, this is not a gaffe; it’s a revelation,” he added, pointing to Trump’s assertion that he intervened to de-escalate cross-border tensions.

In response to the uproar, the U.S. State Department sought to clarify its position. Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott emphasized that the Kashmir dispute remains a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. 

“We also welcome the ceasefire and commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif for choosing the path of peace,” Pigott said, steering clear of endorsing Trump’s mediation narrative.

Trump, however, continues to frame the ceasefire as a diplomatic victory, hailing his leadership on Truth Social and promising increased trade cooperation with both nations.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs was unequivocal. “That stated policy has not changed,” it reiterated, maintaining that Kashmir is strictly a bilateral matter.