RECALIBRATING US POLICY IN SOUTH ASIA POST-AFGHANISTAN: STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS FOR PAKISTAN

The United States of America has held a significant position in global politics as a superpower from the end of the Cold War to the present day. The geopolitics of South Asia has been of strategic importance to world powers due to their short and long-term security and economic interests. The United States (US) approach toward the region has been a cause of concern for states, particularly India and Pakistan. As US interests change, it alters its regional alliance strategies, impacting the bilateral relations of regional states. Despite being an important non-NATO ally of the US, Pakistan could not secure its vital interests during the Cold War and after 9/11, leading to a relationship marked by suspicion and mistrust. On the other hand, India, though not a Cold War ally and not a frontline state in the US campaign against terrorism, has enjoyed a special status with the US. The evolving dynamics of South Asia and China’s increasing role in the region have brought India and the US into closer cooperation, resulting in deep and widespread strategic engagement. This paper focuses on the implications of the US changing role in the region, the complexities following its withdrawal from Afghanistan, and its continued close ties with India. It also suggests that Pakistan should analyse its new security, political, and economic challenges and develop a comprehensive policy to address them appropriately. Bibliography Entry Gul, Shereen. 2024. "Recalibrating US Policy in South Asia Post-Afghanistan: Strategic Implications for Pakistan." Margalla Papers 28 (2): 119-131.