Trying to keep China unsettled? Indian-American wonders as Asim Munir gets invited to US Army Day celebrations

Indian-American venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani on Wednesday said that she was in two minds about the Trump administration's invitation to Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir to attend the US Army Day celebrations. Asim Munir is set to visit Washington, D.C., for the US Army Day celebrations on June 14.

He is expected to arrive in the US on June 12 for the event. As per Motwani, the invite could have several connotations, but there is also a China angle to it. 

"Pakistan's chief of army Asim Munir comes to America next week. Wonder what to make of it (sic). Is the US administration simply trying to keep Qatar happy and trying to "balance" the optics in the Middle East? My 2c: yes to above plus also keeping the foot in the Pak door to keep China unsettled. Digging into this," she said in her post on X (formerly Twitter). 

The visit is likely to unsettle China because it views Pakistan as a critical ally due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $62 billion flagship under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). China and Pakistan's alignment through the CPEC and the BRI has raised American concerns about Islamabad's leanings. 

At the same time, Islamabad is looking to diversify its sources of investment outside Beijing due to the mounting risks that come with its reliance on Chinese investments, as per a CNN-News18 report. 

The visit also comes at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are at their peak following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India launched precision strikes against 9 terror camps and related infrastructure under the codename Operation Sindoor.

Bearing this in mind, the US could use this visit to pressurise Pakistan to limit the Chinese footprint on its defence arsenal. At present, China supplies 81% of Pakistan's imported weapons, including the J-10C fighter jets and missile systems. The US could also pressurise Pakistan to moderate its anti-India stance or align more with US interests, impacting Beijing's "all-weather" friendship with Islamabad. 

Pakistan, on the other hand, is likely to use this opportunity to seek clarity on the US position about Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is said to be operating from Afghan territory.