US President Donald Trump’s growing warmth towards Pakistan is raising eyebrows in New Delhi. From first-ever US crude shipments and crypto deals to a Nobel nomination, his moves suggest more than routine diplomacy. Analysts say it’s not just about energy or tech — there’s a mix of trade, rare earths, and military cooperation shaping Washington’s approach, with Pakistan’s army taking centre stage.
Trump has repeatedly credited himself with preventing a potential war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, praised Pakistan’s military leaders, and backed trade deals that mark Islamabad’s first US crude oil imports. While Pakistan welcomes his style, some in India see economic, strategic, and political motives behind the US pivot.
Pakistan is set to receive its first US crude oil shipment later this year after Trump announced a trade deal with Islamabad. He also promised that Washington would help Pakistan develop “massive oil reserves.”
The deal followed discussions that began in April, after Trump hinted at a 29% tariff on Pakistani imports. Pakistan’s largest refinery, Cnergyico, signed a contract with Vitol to import one million barrels of American crude. Vice chairman Usama Qureshi told Reuters that oil is Pakistan’s top import, valued at $11.3 billion for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, about one-fifth of total imports.
In April, just five days after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, Pakistan signed a preliminary deal with World Liberty Financial, a decentralised finance company 60% owned by the Trump family, to boost blockchain technology.
The Dawn reported that a World Liberty delegation met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief General Asim Munir to formalise a “Letter of Intent… to accelerate blockchain innovation, stablecoin adoption and decentralised finance integration across Pakistan.”
Trump is listed as ‘Chief Crypto Advocate’, Eric and Donald Jr as ‘Web3 Ambassadors’, and Barron Trump as ‘DeFi Visionary’.
Pakistan has nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, praising his “decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership” in easing tensions with India. Trump said: “I should have gotten it four or five times. They won’t give me a Nobel Peace Prize because they only give it to liberals.”
India has rejected the claim that Trump was responsible for the ceasefire after the Pahalgam attack. Trump responded: “Well, I stopped a war… I love Pakistan. I think Modi is a fantastic man… But I stopped the war between Pakistan and India.”
Trump is also set to meet Pakistan’s army chief for a White House lunch following the nomination.
The Washington Post reports that US officials are eyeing Pakistan’s untapped rare earth minerals, vital for electronics and defence. Rising tensions with China, the main supplier, make Islamabad an attractive alternative. US officials attended the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum in April.
China is building a 2,000-mile transport network linking northern Pakistan to a southern port, but insurgent violence in Baluchistan and Taliban activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa threaten the projects. Baluch separatists recently attacked mining trucks, warning anyone “involved in the looting of Baloch national resources” would be targeted.
On Monday, the US designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organisations. The BLA claimed several attacks, including the March 2025 hijacking of the Jaffar Express train that killed 31.
The move aligns with the Trump administration’s stated aim of “countering terrorism.” It follows General Munir’s June White House lunch, a rare honour for a Pakistani military chief without civilian leaders present.
General Michael Kurilla, head of US Central Command, told Congress that Pakistan is a “phenomenal partner” in counter-terrorism. He highlighted the extradition of terrorists who attacked US interests and praised General Munir for capturing Mohammad Sharifullah, mastermind of the 2021 Kabul airport attack.
Kurilla’s remarks point out Pakistan’s selective cooperation — handing over terrorists to the US but rejecting India’s requests. Indian MPs visiting Washington noted that major terrorists targeting the US, like Osama bin Laden and Ramzi Yousef, were captured in Pakistan.
General Munir visited the US twice in two months, attending Kurilla’s retirement ceremony and previously meeting Trump privately at the White House, where the US president credited him with averting a “nuclear war” with India.
Protests followed his visits, with supporters of jailed former PM Imran Khan accusing the military of suppressing democracy. Demonstrators outside Washington and New York called Munir a “dictator” and “fraud.”
Despite the criticism, the Trump administration continues to court Pakistan’s military, discussing trade, rare earths, and technology, raising concerns about bypassing civilian leaders in Islamabad.
