India Pakistan conflict: Major change in Trump's foreign policy, says expert

Washington DC-based South Asia expert Michael Kugelman has weighed in on US Vice President JD Vance’s recent comments about the India-Pakistan standoff, suggesting they mirror a broader shift in US foreign policy outlook in the second Trump administration.

Vance on Thursday said that the United States will not directly intervene in the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, emphasising that it is "none of America's business."

In an interview with Fox News, JD Vance said, "What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but we’re not going to get involved in the middle of war that’s fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with America’s ability to control it."

Explaining Vance's stand Kugelman said: "...I think on the whole, the read I have of what JD Vance said is that it really reflects the Trump administration's broad view of foreign policy and that is that the US should not be over-extending itself in international affairs and that it's happy to express its desire for India and Pakistan to de-escalate, but that the US is not going to expand significant levels of bandwidth to try to get the two sides to de-escalate. That would be a significant change from the first Trump administration..."

Kugelman called this stance a notable departure from the more hands-on diplomatic engagement that marked Trump's first term, during which US officials, including then-President Trump himself, periodically commented on or offered to mediate India-Pakistan tensions.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump expressed his desire for the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan to cease. He emphasized his good relationships with both countries and stated that he is willing to assist in any way possible to help bring about a resolution. Trump said he hoped that the hostilities will end swiftly and that both nations can find a peaceful resolution to their differences.

"Oh it's so terrible. My position is I get along with both. I know both very well and I want to see them work it out. I want to see them stop and hopefully they can stop now. They have gone tit for tat so hopefully they can stop now. I know them both, we get along with both the countries very well.

"Good relationships with both and I want to see it stop. And If I can do anything to help I will be there," Trump said in response to a question on the 'war' between India and Pakistan.