Key Points
- US General calls Pakistan a "phenomenal partner"Praise centers on counter-terrorism cooperation
- Pakistan credited for action against ISIS-KUS stresses need for ties with both India, Pakistan
- Congress accuses Modi of diplomatic setbackIndian opposition questions government’s foreign policy
- Debate over US “hyphenation” of India and Pakistan
- Pakistan’s selective extradition policy highlightedIndia’s efforts to isolate Pakistan questioned
- No immediate official Indian response
In a development that has reverberated across South Asia, US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Michael Kurilla has described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner in the world of counter-terrorism” during a high-profile Congressional hearing in Washington. Kurilla credited Islamabad’s military leadership, particularly Army Chief Asim Munir, for their efforts in combating the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) and disrupting terror operations along the volatile Afghan-Pakistan border.
Kurilla’s remarks, delivered before the House Armed Services Committee, underscored the US military’s reliance on Pakistan for intelligence sharing and operational support in the fight against ISIS-K, a group he described as “one of the most active in trying to carry out external plots globally, including against the homeland”. “Through a phenomenal partnership with Pakistan, they have gone after ISIS-Khorasan, killing dozens of them. Through a relationship we have with them providing intelligence, they have captured at least five ISIS-Khorasan high value individuals,” General Kurilla testified. He also highlighted Pakistan’s role in extraditing Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as Jafar, a key ISIS-K operative implicated in the deadly 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport, which killed 13 US service members. US Seeks Balance: “Need Both Pakistan and India”
General Kurilla was explicit in rejecting the notion of a binary US approach to South Asia, stating, “We have to have a relationship with Pakistan and with India. I do not believe it is a binary switch that we can't have one with Pakistan if we have a relationship with India. We should look at the merits of the relationship for the positives that it has”. This message signals Washington’s intent to maintain strategic ties with both regional powers, despite their deep-seated rivalry. Kurilla’s comments come at a sensitive juncture, as India intensifies efforts to spotlight Pakistan’s alleged support for cross-border terrorism following the recent Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. Congress Targets Modi:
“Is This Not a Diplomatic Setback?”
The US general’s remarks have triggered a sharp political backlash in India. The opposition Congress party has seized on the comments to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy and the effectiveness of recent diplomatic campaigns aimed at isolating Pakistan on the global stage. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a pointed social media post, asked,
“Now that the PM has himself met with the members of the seven parliamentary delegations that had been sent to various countries, will he at least now chair a meeting or a set of meetings of leaders of all political parties and take them into confidence on India’s future strategy vis-a-vis both China and Pakistan and the strategic implications of the CDS’ revelations in Singapore?”
The party demanded answers on several fronts: Whether Modi would convene an all-party meeting to discuss future strategyIf the government would allow a full debate in Parliament on foreign policy and securityWhether efforts would be redoubled to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justiceIf an expert group, akin to the Kargil Review Committee, would be set up to analyze Operation Sindoor and recommend future military strategyCongress MP Tariq Anwar dismissed the government’s recent diplomatic outreach as “just a formality,” arguing that “there was no substantial outcome.
Our objective was to isolate Pakistan on the global stage and expose its role in terrorism. But that mission was not fulfilled. Ironically, Pakistan still enjoys substantial international support — it has been made co-chair in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and chairs a US-formed committee to monitor the Taliban in Afghanistan”. Selective Extradition and Pakistan’s Global Standing General Kurilla’s testimony also drew attention to Pakistan’s selective approach to counter-terrorism cooperation. While Islamabad has handed over terrorists who attacked US interests, it has refused similar cooperation when it comes to individuals accused of attacks against India. This duality was highlighted by Kurilla’s revelation that the first person Pakistan’s army chief called after capturing Sharifullah was him, offering immediate extradition to the US.
Despite the Justice Department’s identification of a Pakistani citizen involved in a 2024 terror plot against a Jewish center in New York, Kurilla maintained that Pakistan’s willingness to extradite such suspects to the US underpins its value as a counter-terrorism partner. India’s Frustration with “Hyphenation” and Global Perceptions New Delhi has long objected to what it perceives as the international community’s tendency to “hyphenate” India and Pakistan, treating both nations as equals in matters of regional security and counter-terrorism. Indian officials have repeatedly asserted that the “victim (India) and the perpetrator of terrorism (Pakistan) cannot be placed on the same footing,” especially in the wake of recent border clashes and terror attacks6. There was no immediate official response from the Indian government to Kurilla’s remarks.
However, the timing of the comments—just as India was seeking to rally international opinion against Pakistan—has fueled domestic criticism of the Modi administration’s foreign policy effectiveness. US-Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Dialogue and Regional Implications The CENTCOM chief’s testimony comes on the heels of a renewed US-Pakistan counter-terrorism dialogue, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to address threats from groups like the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-K. Another round of talks is scheduled for later this month, underscoring the ongoing importance Washington attaches to its security partnership with Islamabad. CENTCOM, headquartered in Florida, oversees US military operations across 21 countries in Western, Central, and South Asia—including Pakistan and Afghanistan. India, by contrast, falls under the remit of the Hawaii-based US Indo-Pacific Command, highlighting the bifurcated nature of Washington’s regional military engagement.
Broader Geopolitical Calculus:
US, India, and Pakistan The US general’s explicit endorsement of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism cooperation, even as Islamabad faces allegations of supporting anti-India terror groups, signals that Washington will continue to pursue a pragmatic, interest-driven approach in the region.
Diplomatic Dilemma and Political Fallout
The US general’s praise of Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” has reignited debate in India over the effectiveness of its diplomatic efforts to isolate Islamabad and the challenges of navigating a complex geopolitical environment where Washington refuses to take sides. As the Modi government faces mounting questions from the opposition and a wary public, the episode highlights the enduring difficulties of South Asian diplomacy—and the limits of India’s ability to shape global perceptions of its neighbor.