
India and Trump’s National Security Strategy 2025
Washington’s new security lens is transactional. Partnerships must pay. For India, sentiment won’t suffice, deliverables will.

Washington’s new security lens is transactional. Partnerships must pay. For India, sentiment won’t suffice, deliverables will.

From the Sundarji Doctrine to Cold Start and 2025’s Operation Sindoor, India’s offensive doctrines aimed at rapid strikes against Pakistan repeatedly backfired, exposing operational gaps and narrowing its strategic options in multi-domain warfare.

In a shifting multipolar world, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have formalized a landmark mutual defence pact marking a new era in regional security. The agreement reflects Riyadh’s strategic pivot from dependence on the U.S. towards trusted partners like Pakistan, an established military power in the Islamic world. Beyond reaffirming deep-rooted bilateral ties, the pact reshapes South Asia–Gulf dynamics, deters Indian aggression, and signals a broader trend of regional cooperation amid evolving geopolitical threats.
![India's strategy crisis is unfolding like a tangled web, where bold ambitions clash with glaring missteps. [Image via The Canadian Press/AP]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ap24288649325611.webp)
India’s strategy crisis unfolds like a tangled web, where bold ambitions collide with glaring missteps on the global stage.
![Iqbal and Kashmir embody a legacy of vision, inspiring a timeless journey for justice, identity, and freedom for the people of Kashmir. [Image via Kashmir Lifet]](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Allama-Iqbal-3.webp)
Iqbal and Kashmir embody a legacy of vision, inspiring a timeless journey for justice, identity, and freedom for the people of Kashmir.
![US-India flags fly at the White House. Since 2014, political metamorphosis of India under the BJP has diverged toward a Hindu-centric identity [Image via Reuters].](https://southasiatimes.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2023-06-21T195636Z_979887234_RC2VN1AOY3KX_RTRMADP_3_USA-INDIA-1704088052.webp)
Since 2014, political metamorphosis of India under BJP has diverged from Nehru’s liberal vision towards a Hindu-centric identity led by Modi.