Trump's praise for Pakistan stuns India, sparks political backlash

President Donald Trump has lavished unexpected praise on Pakistan in recent days, lauding its people, leaders and products in remarks that have left India bewildered and sparked a political firestorm in New Delhi.

In the 12 days since a ceasefire between India and Pakistan took effect on May 10, Trump has publicly praised Pakistan at least eight times.

The frequency and tone of his comments — including calling Pakistani leaders “great” and their exports “impressive” — have led to intense debate among Indian policymakers, journalists and intellectuals.

Kamran Khan noted in his vlog that Trump’s remarks are shaking India’s long-held assumptions about its favored status in Washington.

“Indian thinkers are openly saying that the U.S. never tilted toward Pakistan on Kashmir — not even during the Cold War,” Khan said. “But now, Trump’s daily commentary is unraveling years of Indian diplomatic work.”

Indian Express columnist C. Raja Mohan wrote that Trump’s new approach has “destroyed India’s careful positioning on Kashmir.”

The latest shock came during a Fox News interview, where Trump was asked about Syria. Instead, he chose to speak about Pakistan first, praising the country’s leadership and products.

The motivation behind Trump’s newfound enthusiasm for Pakistan remains unclear. However, his remarks have reintroduced the concept of “re-hyphenation” — a term Indian analysts use to describe the unwanted coupling of India and Pakistan in global diplomacy.

Trump’s comparison of Pakistan — a $400 billion economy — to India’s $4 trillion GDP has not gone unnoticed. Many in India see it as a slight to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government has pushed hard to distance India from any parity with Pakistan.

Despite Indian officials denying any U.S. mediation in the May 10 ceasefire, Trump has repeatedly taken credit for brokering peace between the nuclear neighbors. He even timed one of his statements to air just 30 minutes before Modi’s own televised speech.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed up Trump’s narrative, tweeting that both India and Pakistan have agreed to negotiations on neutral ground. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri have rejected these claims.

India’s opposition parties, including Congress and Shiv Sena, are now calling for Modi’s resignation. Meanwhile, right-wing media outlets and government allies face criticism for failing to manage the diplomatic fallout.

International observers, from Russia to the European Union, appear to be distancing themselves from India’s hardline Kashmir narrative.

Khan said this moment reflects Pakistan’s growing diplomatic credibility. “It’s the result of Pakistan’s defense capabilities, economic potential and smart diplomacy,” he said.