Washington : Pakistan has emerged as a key player in President Donald Trump’s updated vision for South Asia, signaling a major shift in US foreign policy.
According to a report by The Washington Times, 2025 marked a pivotal year in US-Pakistan relations, with Pakistan’s role becoming increasingly vital in both regional and global matters.
The report highlights that Pakistan’s growing importance to the US is largely due to its ongoing commitment to counterterrorism. These efforts began attracting attention through discreet dialogues between the two countries.
A significant moment came in March when President Trump publicly praised Pakistan’s counterterrorism initiatives during a national address. This was a notable shift from the historically cautious US approach, positioning Pakistan as a more reliable and trusted ally.
What had once been a fragile and transactional relationship began to evolve, as both nations adapted to the changing dynamics of South Asia.
The relationship took another dramatic turn in May, when Pakistan engaged in a brief but intense military confrontation with India. The outcome of this clash reportedly caught Washington off guard, demonstrating Pakistan’s disciplined military strategy and asymmetric capabilities in ways that had previously been underestimated.
US officials, who had previously written off Pakistan as a declining power, began recognizing it as a significant force in regional geopolitics.
The report also points to the growing relationship between President Trump and Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir. The historic luncheon they held—the first ever for a Pakistani military chief with a sitting US president—was followed by a high-profile visit to US Central Command (CENTCOM) Headquarters. These events signaled a deepening level of cooperation between the two military forces.
By early 2026, the article concludes, Pakistan is set to play a central role in President Trump’s broader strategy for South Asia and the Far East, marking a dramatic realignment in both regional and global policy.
