Washington: President Donald Trump nominated S. Paul Kapur, a scholar of Indian origin known for his critical views on Pakistan, as the next state assistant secretary for Asia Sur and Central.
Kapur’s nomination leaked to the media at a crucial moment, coinciding with the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington.
In this context, Kapur’s appointment indicates a broader change in the South of Washington’s policy, one that puts a greater emphasis on New Delhi while adopting a more skeptical position towards Islamabad.
Its nomination indicates a potential hardening of American policy towards Pakistan, with a reduced commitment to security and economic issues.
As Michael Kugelman said, an American scholar of Affairs of South Asia: “Like others who are already in the administration, Kapur is a strong sponsor of the American-Indian association and a hard critic of Pakistan.”
Professor of the US Naval Postgraduate School and Member of the Hoover Institution of Stanford, Kapur has long argued that Pakistan’s security policies depend on the “Islamist militancy as a craft tool.”
His book, Yihad as a great strategyHe maintains that, although this approach once provided Islamabad strategic leverage, since then it has failed, weakening the Pakistani state, striving its economy and causing a more aggressive Indian military stance.
Its influence on the State Department can mean a harder position on issues such as financial aid and diplomatic support in Kashmir. If your perspective shapes the official policy of the United States, Islamabad could be under greater pressure to rethink their strategies, or risk a deeper diplomatic and economic isolation.
If the Senate confirms it, Kapur will replace Donald Lu, who leaves the position after the change in the administration. For now, Eric Meyer continues to serve as the senior official who supervises the region.
Posted in Dawn, February 15, 2025
