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U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio played a captious relation successful urging restraint during the caller India-Pakistan crisis, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Paul Kapur, told lawmakers during his Senate confirmation proceeding connected Tuesday.
“As idiosyncratic from the extracurricular looking in, it appeared to maine that the Secretary [of State] and the Vice President were actively engaged successful utilizing their bully offices to promote de-escalation,” Mr. Kapur told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I deliberation that astir apt had a salutary effect. Ultimately, India and Pakistan made their ain decisions to measurement back.”
Mr. Kapur, presently a prof astatine the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, was responding to questions astir rising tensions betwixt the 2 nuclear-armed neighbours pursuing the deadly violent onslaught successful Pahalgam, which India has attributed to Pakistan-based groups.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen said helium had bully discussions with the Indian and Pakistani parliamentary delegations that were successful Washington past week successful the aftermath of the India-Pakistan crisis.
‘Fragile ceasefire’
“President Trump and Secretary Rubio person taken recognition for bringing astir the ceasefire. As you astir apt already know, the Indian authorities has denied that the ceasefire resulted from American mediation. But regardless, there’s a fragile ceasefire successful place. Secretary Rubio said this connected May 10: ‘I americium pleased to denote the governments of India and Pakistan person agreed to an contiguous cease-fire and to commencement talks connected a wide acceptable of issues astatine a neutral site,’ unquote. So, Dr. Kapur, if you are confirmed, what wide acceptable of issues volition you propulsion India and Pakistan to discuss?” the Senator asked.
Mr. Kapur said the U.S. and India stock a big of communal interests, ensuring a escaped and unfastened Indo-Pacific region, which is not dominated by China, expanding bilateral trade, and gathering economical relationships truthful that it is much symmetrical and much profitable.
“Facilitating exertion sharing and innovation, and ensuring entree to the vigor indispensable to substance our economies. If confirmed, I’ll enactment to further beforehand U.S.-India relations and enactment our concern connected people to realise its tremendous promise. On Pakistan, if confirmed, I volition prosecute information practice wherever it is beneficial to U.S. interests portion seeking opportunities for bilateral collaboration successful commercialized and investment,” Mr. Kapur said.
“South Asia precocious avoided a costly conflict, with Vice-President Vance and Secretary Rubio intensely engaged connected the issue. If confirmed, I volition proceed to beforehand long-standing U.S. information interests with India and Pakistan done the pursuit of bid and stableness and the combat against terrorism,” he added.
Expanding ties
“Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan are important for stableness successful the Indo-Pacific region. Sri Lanka and the Maldives are located on large oceanic commercialized routes, portion Bangladesh boasts the largest system successful the portion aft India. If confirmed, I volition advocator for enhanced U.S. practice with these countries to bolster our security, counterbalance China’s power and grow trade. In Afghanistan, if confirmed, I’ll enactment President Trump and Secretary Rubio successful bringing location wrongly detained Americans,” helium said.
Sen. James E Risch, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the caller struggle betwixt India and Pakistan is profoundly concerning and has shown that the U.S. indispensable proceed its counterterrorism practice crossed the region. “The U.S. shares nationalist information interests with some countries and we request a bid betwixt them,” helium said.
(5Wh.com)
Published - June 12, 2025 05:30 americium IST
English (US) ·