New Delhi: “If confirmed, I’ll pursue safety cooperation with Pakistan the place it’s in US curiosity,” mentioned Indian-American safety knowledgeable Paul Kapur. His phrases got here at a second when regional tensions, particularly after near-conflict situations, have saved the Indo-Pacific underneath the worldwide lens.
He’s President Donald Trump’s nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, changing Donald Lu – who accomplished his time period in January 2025. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he’ll oversee American diplomacy with some of the advanced, delicate and risky areas on the earth.
In a collection of robust remarks, Kapur additionally mentioned, “We’re searching for alternatives for bilateral collaboration in commerce and investments. South Asia just lately averted a pricey battle, with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary Roberio intensely engaged within the challenge.”
He added, “If confirmed, I’ll proceed to advertise longstanding US safety pursuits with India and Pakistan for peace, stability and combat towards terror. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan are vital for stability within the Indo-Pacific area.”
“If confirmed, I’ll pursue safety cooperation with Pakistan the place it’s in America’s curiosity,” says Paul Kapur who is about to turn into Trump’s prime diplomat on South Asia pic.twitter.com/AWwJh9k8kh
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Kapur shouldn’t be a diplomat by chance. He’s one by preparation. Identified for his work on terrorism, nuclear safety and regional deterrence, he has spent years finding out how fragile peace in South Asia really is.
His books, together with ‘Harmful Deterrent and Jihad as Grand Technique’, have a look at Pakistan’s inner and exterior threat elements with brutal readability.
Why is His Nomination Vital Now?
South Asia is on edge. A flare-up between India and Pakistan was narrowly averted. Washington needs somebody who understands the depth of the area’s tensions, not simply the floor.
Kapur matches that invoice. He has spent his profession analysing India-Pakistan hostility, the China angle within the Indian Ocean and the balancing position smaller nations play. His appointment alerts that the USA is not going to deal with this area casually.
He acknowledged this instantly, “Sri Lanka and Maldives are positioned alongside main ocean commerce routes and Bangladesh possesses the most important financial system after India. If confirmed, I’ll advocate for enhanced US cooperation in these areas and counter Chinese language affect.”
How Will His Method Form the Indo-Pacific?
Kapur shouldn’t be solely specializing in India and Pakistan. He’s wanting on the complete Indo-Pacific stretch as one strategic belt. The Indian Ocean is now a chessboard. China is shifting in. America is attempting to reply with out alarming allies or triggering confrontation.
His view is that nations like Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal aren’t fringe gamers. They’re key dominoes. In the event that they fall underneath unchecked Chinese language affect, the entire steadiness can shift. That’s the reason he needs to speculate diplomatic power there.
He sees U.S. cooperation with these international locations as greater than symbolic. It’s a part of a protracted sport within the Indo-Pacific, one which the USA can not afford to lose.
What Does His Stance on Pakistan Imply for India?
Kapur’s strategy to Pakistan shouldn’t be fuzzy. He’s open to engagement, however not at any value. His line – “the place it’s in America’s curiosity” – is evident. This isn’t the same old “we wish each international locations to speak” script. It’s strategic, conditional and based mostly on outcomes.
For India, that is each reassuring and sensible. Washington is not going to flip a blind eye to cross-border terrorism. Kapur is unlikely to chase illusions about Pakistan’s double video games. However he additionally understands that isolating Pakistan utterly can create extra chaos.
India might lastly discover an American counterpart who will get the effective line between strain and partnership.
A Profile Rooted in Expertise
Kapur holds a PhD from the College of Chicago and a BA from Amherst. He has taught at Stanford and Claremont McKenna and is now on the U.S. Naval Postgraduate Faculty. From 2020-2021, he served on the U.S. State Division’s Coverage Planning Workers, the place he formed methods associated to Indo-Pacific safety and U.S.-India defence ties.
He has led a number of U.S.-India dialogues and managed classified-level defence interactions. His analysis has appeared in prime journals like Worldwide Safety and Asian Survey, overlaying nuclear doctrines, militant methods and deterrence breakdowns.
Now, if confirmed, he will probably be steering the U.S. diplomacy in a area the place warfare and peace typically cling by a thread.