Explained: Is the US setting a trap for Pakistan amid Iran standoff?

New Delhi: As the United States escalates military preparedness in the Middle East and authorises voluntary departures of troops’ families amid rising tensions with Iran, it is no coincidence that Washington’s diplomatic spotlight is once again on Pakistan. 

The moves signal an old but familiar playbook, using Islamabad as a staging post or buffer during moments of regional crisis.

Over the past week, Washington has sent unmistakable signals of special outreach to Islamabad. 

General Michael Kurilla, chief of US Central Command, praised Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counter-terrorism after meetings with top Pakistani military leaders. The US has also fast-tracked several high-level contacts, signaling that Islamabad’s strategic geography and military cooperation are once again in demand.

For those who recall the post-9/11 era, these moves are a throwback to when Pakistan became a central pillar of America’s war in Afghanistan. 

The formula is familiar: in exchange for logistical access, intelligence, and local know-how, Islamabad is offered diplomatic warmth, economic sweeteners, and a temporary boost in global stature.

But India, having watched this dance before, sees the pitfalls. These sudden US overtures are transactional. Even as General Munir attends Army Day festivities in Washington and hears praise from US military brass, the underlying reality remains that Pakistan’s partnership is valued only when convenient for American objectives.

The irony is that Pakistan, despite its deep cultural and economic ties to Iran, is being nudged into a role that could make it a US facilitator in any confrontation with Tehran.

For India, the lesson is clear: despite the optics, this is not an elevation of Pakistan’s global standing, but a familiar cycle where Islamabad is drawn into conflicts that serve others’ interests.

New Delhi understands the price Pakistan has paid for similar partnerships in the past, domestic instability, global suspicion, and fleeting strategic gains. Rather than being envious or concerned, Indian policymakers can afford to be cautious observers. 

The trap for Pakistan is clear: in seeking short-term approval from Washington, it risks long-term damage to its own regional relationships, especially with Iran.

As the US once again turns to Pakistan during a period of Middle Eastern turbulence, Indians should see it for what it is, a tactical move, not a strategic realignment. 

The script is well-known, and the consequences, as history has shown, are rarely to Islamabad’s long-term advantage.

In all, Pakistan may get invited to high tables and praised as a partner for now, but the true cost of this “special treatment” will only be known when the crisis abates, and the US, as always, moves on.