One year after the Pahalgam terror attack that took place on 22 April 2025, the aftershocks are still shaping South Asia’s geopolitics and testing the strategic clarity of the United States. The attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, was among the deadliest assaults on non-combatants in Kashmir in recent years. It not only reignited India–Pakistan tensions but also exposed the enduring duality in Washington’s regional approach—deepening ties with India while preserving tactical en&nbsp;Yet, the strategic convergence that might have followed did not fully materialise. Instead, India–US relations entered a phase of friction. A key irritant was President Trump’s claim of a US role in mediating between India and Pakistan—something New Delhi has consistently rejected. The disagreement soon spilled into the economic domain, with sharper rhetoric on trade imbalances, tariffs, and market access. What emerged was a familiar contradiction: the two countries aligned closely on security concerns, particularly terrorism and China’s rise, but diverged on economic nationalism and geopolitical autonomy.&nbsp;Despite these tensions, the relationship did not fracture. It recalibrated. The structural drivers of India–US ties remain strong. China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific continues to push both countries closer, making their partnership strategically indispensable. Economic interdependence also plays a stabilising role, with the United States remaining one of India’s largest trading partners and a critical source of investment and technology. Institutional mechanisms—ranging from defence cooperation to multilateral platforms—provide continuity even when political signals fluctuate. In essence, both sides recognised that short-term disagreements could not override long-term strategic interests.&nbsp;Even as ties stabilised after&nbsp;the February 2026 trade deal, bringing the effective tariff rate down to&nbsp;18 per cent, a new geopolitical variable began to change the equation: rising tensions involving the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran. In this evolving West Asian geopolitical landscape, Pakistan has found renewed relevance. In its newfound role as global peacemaker, Pakistan has worked frantically to water down differences between Iran and the US. Leveraging its geography and historical ties, Islamabad has positioned itself as a potential intermediary in backchannel engagements. For Washington, this is less about preference and more about necessity. Pakistan offers access, influence, and logistical advantages that become valuable during regional crises.&nbsp;This renewed engagement does not imply a strategic shift away from India, but it does highlight a recurring pattern. The United States tends to engage Pakistan tactically when immediate regional challenges demand it, even as it invests in a longer-term partnership with India. For New Delhi, this creates both concern and clarity. The concern lies in the possibility that renewed US–Pakistan engagement could dilute international pressure on terror networks operating from Pakistani soil. The clarity, however, comes from recognising that Washington’s approach is fundamentally interest-driven and issue-specific.&nbsp;At the same time, India’s position has strengthened in certain respects. Its consistent emphasis on counter-terrorism, reinforced after Pahalgam, has bolstered its credibility globally. The country’s growing economic weight and its role in seminal Indo-Pacific dynamics ensure that it remains central to US strategic thinking. Moreover, India’s policy of strategic autonomy allows it to engage multiple global players without being locked into rigid alliances&nbsp;Pahalgam was a stark reminder that acts of terror can recast not only national security responses but also international alignments. For the United States, it reaffirmed the need to manage competing priorities in a volatile region. For India, it underscored the importance of engaging global partners with both realism and resolve. In a world defined by changing equations, stability is no longer assured—it is continuously negotiated.&nbsp;Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/iran-sets-condition-for-talks-in-pakistan-after-trump-s-ceasefire-extension-hormuz-kharg-island-islamabad-iran-port-blockade-1776841360874"> If they seek war, we are ready...': Iran sets condition for talks in Pakistan after Trump's ceasefire extension</a>

Trump reinforced this balance publicly, urging restraint and bilateral resolution even as tensions escalated briefly along the Line of Control. Behind the scenes, US diplomacy played a quiet role in encouraging de-escalation, underscoring its preference for stability over confrontation.

One year after the Pahalgam terror attack that took place on 22 April 2025, the aftershocks are still shaping South Asia’s geopolitics and testing the strategic clarity of the United States. The attack, which killed 26 innocent civilians, mostly Hindu tourists, was among the deadliest assaults on non-combatants in Kashmir in recent years. It not only reignited India–Pakistan tensions but also exposed the enduring duality in Washington’s regional approach—deepening ties with India while preserving tactical en Yet, the strategic convergence that might have followed did not fully materialise. Instead, India–US relations entered a phase of friction. A key irritant was President Trump’s claim of a US role in mediating between India and Pakistan—something New Delhi has consistently rejected. The disagreement soon spilled into the economic domain, with sharper rhetoric on trade imbalances, tariffs, and market access. What emerged was a familiar contradiction: the two countries aligned closely on security concerns, particularly terrorism and China’s rise, but diverged on economic nationalism and geopolitical autonomy. Despite these tensions, the relationship did not fracture. It recalibrated. The structural drivers of India–US ties remain strong. China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific continues to push both countries closer, making their partnership strategically indispensable. Economic interdependence also plays a stabilising role, with the United States remaining one of India’s largest trading partners and a critical source of investment and technology. Institutional mechanisms—ranging from defence cooperation to multilateral platforms—provide continuity even when political signals fluctuate. In essence, both sides recognised that short-term disagreements could not override long-term strategic interests. Even as ties stabilised after the February 2026 trade deal, bringing the effective tariff rate down to 18 per cent, a new geopolitical variable began to change the equation: rising tensions involving the conflict between the US-Israel and Iran. In this evolving West Asian geopolitical landscape, Pakistan has found renewed relevance. In its newfound role as global peacemaker, Pakistan has worked frantically to water down differences between Iran and the US. Leveraging its geography and historical ties, Islamabad has positioned itself as a potential intermediary in backchannel engagements. For Washington, this is less about preference and more about necessity. Pakistan offers access, influence, and logistical advantages that become valuable during regional crises. This renewed engagement does not imply a strategic shift away from India, but it does highlight a recurring pattern. The United States tends to engage Pakistan tactically when immediate regional challenges demand it, even as it invests in a longer-term partnership with India. For New Delhi, this creates both concern and clarity. The concern lies in the possibility that renewed US–Pakistan engagement could dilute international pressure on terror networks operating from Pakistani soil. The clarity, however, comes from recognising that Washington’s approach is fundamentally interest-driven and issue-specific. At the same time, India’s position has strengthened in certain respects. Its consistent emphasis on counter-terrorism, reinforced after Pahalgam, has bolstered its credibility globally. The country’s growing economic weight and its role in seminal Indo-Pacific dynamics ensure that it remains central to US strategic thinking. Moreover, India’s policy of strategic autonomy allows it to engage multiple global players without being locked into rigid alliances Pahalgam was a stark reminder that acts of terror can recast not only national security responses but also international alignments. For the United States, it reaffirmed the need to manage competing priorities in a volatile region. For India, it underscored the importance of engaging global partners with both realism and resolve. In a world defined by changing equations, stability is no longer assured—it is continuously negotiated. Also read: If they seek war, we are ready...': Iran sets condition for talks in Pakistan after Trump's ceasefire extension

Trump reinforced this balance publicly, urging restraint and bilateral resolution even as tensions escalated briefly along the Line of Control. Behind the scenes, US diplomacy played a quiet role in encouraging de-escalation, underscoring its preference for stability over confrontation.

Pahalgam, Pakistan and power politics: How the US balances India and Islamabad

Members of the United States Navy were recently witnessed singing a popular Hindi song at dinner with Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on Saturday.&nbsp; On the same day, India’s Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu met with the CNO, Michael M Gilday.

“Together, we will promote a free, open &amp; inclusive rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. I look forward to our two navies’ continued cooperation”, Gilday tweeted.

The Navy sang the following in Hindi - "This is a friendship bond that cannot be broken ever”, echoing the state of relations between the United States and India.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Great to meet with India’s Ambassador to the United States <a href="https://twitter.com/SandhuTaranjitS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SandhuTaranjitS</a> today! Together, we will promote a free, open &amp; inclusive rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. I look forward to our two navies’ continued cooperation. <a href="https://twitter.com/IndianEmbassyUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndianEmbassyUS</a> 🇮🇳🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/UJ8aopHjl0">pic.twitter.com/UJ8aopHjl0</a>
— USNavyCNO (@USNavyCNO) <a href="https://twitter.com/USNavyCNO/status/1375613959106088960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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The original song is called “Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera” and was performed by coveted musician AR Rahman for the soundtrack of the film “Swades” in 2004.

Watch the clip below

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
'ये वो बंधन है जो कभी टूट नहीं सकता! This is a friendship bond that cannot be broken ever.' 🇮🇳🇺🇸 
 
US Navy singing a popular Hindi tune <a href="https://twitter.com/USNavyCNO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNavyCNO</a> 's dinner last night! <a href="https://t.co/hfzXsg0cAr">pic.twitter.com/hfzXsg0cAr</a>
— Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) <a href="https://twitter.com/SandhuTaranjitS/status/1375937058229919744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Cooperation between the United States and India has improved in the face of increased Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean, Indo-Pacific.&nbsp;

Recently, a grouping of four countries called “Quad” including India, United States, Japan, and Australia convened which was seen as signalling to China that their excesses in the region will not go unanswered.

The US also extended extensive support to Taiwan as it faces increasing threat of a Chinese invasion, with Chinese planes continuously breaching territorial borders.

Members of the United States Navy were recently witnessed singing a popular Hindi song at dinner with Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on Saturday. On the same day, India’s Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu met with the CNO, Michael M Gilday.

Members of the United States Navy were recently witnessed singing a popular Hindi song at dinner with Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on Saturday. On the same day, India’s Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu met with the CNO, Michael M Gilday. “Together, we will promote a free, open & inclusive rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. I look forward to our two navies’ continued cooperation”, Gilday tweeted. The Navy sang the following in Hindi - "This is a friendship bond that cannot be broken ever”, echoing the state of relations between the United States and India. Great to meet with India’s Ambassador to the United States @SandhuTaranjitS today! Together, we will promote a free, open & inclusive rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. I look forward to our two navies’ continued cooperation. @IndianEmbassyUS 🇮🇳🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/UJ8aopHjl0 — USNavyCNO (@USNavyCNO) March 27, 2021 × The original song is called “Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera” and was performed by coveted musician AR Rahman for the soundtrack of the film “Swades” in 2004. Watch the clip below 'ये वो बंधन है जो कभी टूट नहीं सकता! This is a friendship bond that cannot be broken ever.' 🇮🇳🇺🇸 US Navy singing a popular Hindi tune @USNavyCNO 's dinner last night! pic.twitter.com/hfzXsg0cAr — Taranjit Singh Sandhu (@SandhuTaranjitS) March 27, 2021 × Cooperation between the United States and India has improved in the face of increased Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean, Indo-Pacific. Recently, a grouping of four countries called “Quad” including India, United States, Japan, and Australia convened which was seen as signalling to China that their excesses in the region will not go unanswered. The US also extended extensive support to Taiwan as it faces increasing threat of a Chinese invasion, with Chinese planes continuously breaching territorial borders.

Watch: US Navy sings Hindi song from hit Bollywood movie 'Swades'

India needs to be central to what the Trump administration does in South and Central Asia, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the lawmakers on Thursday, asserting that India "ought to be" one of America's closest partners.

"For scores of reasons, India needs to be central to what we do. Specific issues -- South Central Asia issues, Southeast Asia issues. They ought to be one of our closest partners and we ought to do everything we can to make sure that we achieve that," he told the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 
 
Pompeo was responding to questions from Senator Chris Coons from Delaware about how to further strengthen the US-India relationship.

"Mr Secretary, if you would like to say anything about how we can work with this most populous democracy, a potential strategic partner to strengthen that relationship, I'll make that my last question," Coons asked.

He said sustaining a strategic dialogue with India was something that "would enjoy strong support here".

Pompeo responded that, "Defense Secretary (James) Mattis and I will jointly meet with our Indian counterparts in a dialogue that the two countries have had. I don't know that the date's been set but we're looking to do it. I think it's set this summer, very important."

Pompeo and Mattis are expected to host their Indian counterparts -- External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman -- sometime this summer for the inaugural 2+2 dialogue.

The decision about this was taken when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House on June 26 last year.

The US-India relationship enjoys bipartisan support in the US Congress.

Early this week, a top US State Department official said the Trump administration supports India's emergence as a leading global power and as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

"The US-India partnership is rooted in shared democratic values and a commitment to a rules-based order. We support India's emergence as a leading global power and as a key partner in our efforts to ensure that the Indo-

Pacific is a region of peace, stability and growing prosperity," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert had said.&nbsp;

Pompeo was responding to questions from Senator Chris Coons from Delaware about how to further strengthen the US-India relationship

India needs to be central to what the Trump administration does in South and Central Asia, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the lawmakers on Thursday, asserting that India "ought to be" one of America's closest partners. "For scores of reasons, India needs to be central to what we do. Specific issues -- South Central Asia issues, Southeast Asia issues. They ought to be one of our closest partners and we ought to do everything we can to make sure that we achieve that," he told the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Pompeo was responding to questions from Senator Chris Coons from Delaware about how to further strengthen the US-India relationship. "Mr Secretary, if you would like to say anything about how we can work with this most populous democracy, a potential strategic partner to strengthen that relationship, I'll make that my last question," Coons asked. He said sustaining a strategic dialogue with India was something that "would enjoy strong support here". Pompeo responded that, "Defense Secretary (James) Mattis and I will jointly meet with our Indian counterparts in a dialogue that the two countries have had. I don't know that the date's been set but we're looking to do it. I think it's set this summer, very important." Pompeo and Mattis are expected to host their Indian counterparts -- External affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman -- sometime this summer for the inaugural 2+2 dialogue. The decision about this was taken when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House on June 26 last year. The US-India relationship enjoys bipartisan support in the US Congress. Early this week, a top US State Department official said the Trump administration supports India's emergence as a leading global power and as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region. "The US-India partnership is rooted in shared democratic values and a commitment to a rules-based order. We support India's emergence as a leading global power and as a key partner in our efforts to ensure that the Indo- Pacific is a region of peace, stability and growing prosperity," State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert had said.

India ought to be one of America's closest partners, says US Secretary of State