Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted on Saturday, November 14, 2026, that the United States must respect India's right to self-defense and uphold a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding terrorism. Speaking during a conversation with Jawed Ashraf, chairman of the India Trade Promotion Organisation, at a summit in New Delhi, Blinken emphasized that the U.S. approach should support India's responses to attacks while simultaneously pursuing diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Blinken described the relationship between Washington and New Delhi as "fundamentally different" from its ties with Islamabad. He characterized India as a "global force" with shared interests that are global in nature, whereas he defined the U.S. relationship with Pakistan as "regional." While noting that cooperation with Pakistan remains necessary in areas like counter-terrorism, he suggested that past U.S. strategic interests during the Cold War and the war in Afghanistan may have led previous administrations to be less critical of Pakistan's civil-military establishment.
Reflecting on the evolution of India-U.S. relations, Blinken noted a significant transformation over recent decades. He described the shift as a move from a period of estrangement to a unique strategic partnership built on shared interests and strong people-to-people connections.
