India Highlights $2B in U.S. Arms to Pakistan Amid Trump Critique
The Indian Army has recently highlighted historical U.S. arms shipments to Pakistan, revealing that over $2 billion worth of military aid was provided from 1954 to 1971, coinciding with rising tensions leading to the 1971 Indo-Pak war and the subsequent creation of Bangladesh. This move serves as a pointed response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threats to impose higher tariffs on India for purchasing oil from Russia, underscoring a perceived hypocrisy in U.S. foreign policy given its prior military support to Pakistan. The archival post shared by the Eastern Command referenced a 1971 newspaper clipping, illustrating how the U.S. continued to arm Pakistan even amid its repressive actions in East Bengal, while NATO powers largely ignored Islamabad’s aggression. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has countered Trump’s accusations by pointing out the double standards of the U.S. and the European Union, stressing that many nations engaged in trade with Russia while criticizing India’s energy purchases as unjustified. This situation emphasizes the complexities of international relations where historical precedents and current geopolitical maneuvers intersect, reflecting India’s firm stance in advocating for its national interests while calling out perceived biases from Western powers.