U.S. Hegseth Lauds 'True Friendship' with Pakistan
Hegseth delivered the remarks during a question-and-answer session following his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore on Saturday — comments subsequently released by summit organizer, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), on YouTube.
The Pentagon chief singled out Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for their contributions to peace negotiations surrounding the Iran war.
"An unexpected development and a true friendship" has been developing between the United States and Pakistan, Hegseth said, adding that the growing relationship was reflected in President Donald Trump's ability to help broker peace between India and Pakistan during their military confrontation last year.
The comments mark a striking elevation in US-Pakistan relations, particularly Washington's deepening engagement with Islamabad's military establishment. The warming stands in notable contrast to occasional friction between Washington and New Delhi, with India continuing to reject Trump's assertions that he played a decisive role in securing the ceasefire that ended the May 2025 conflict between the two South Asian rivals.
Despite the effusive praise for Pakistan, Hegseth was careful to reaffirm India's centrality to broader US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific. In his summit address, he described India as a "critical anchor" for regional stability, noting the country was actively modernizing its armed forces to shoulder greater responsibility for security, particularly across the Indian Ocean.
Washington's commitment to co-producing weapons with India remains firmly intact, he added.
On the question of India's long-range missile development, Hegseth acknowledged the deeply entrenched mutual threat perceptions between New Delhi and Islamabad, suggesting both nations would continue expanding their missile deterrence capabilities as a result.
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