Without America, Pakistan Couldn’t Have Faced India, Says Ex-Envoy

Former Pakistan Ambassador to the U.S. Haqqani says American aid let Pakistan rival India for 75 years, despite flawed assumptions on both sides.

Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan's former ambassador to the United States. (File photo: ANI)

New Delhi: “Pakistan could never have challenged India over the last 75 years without America’s help,” says Husain Haqqani, former Pakistan ambassador to the United States, while talking about his new book ‘Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the United States, and an Epic History of Misunderstanding’.

Haqqani, who represented Pakistan in the United States from 2008 to 2011, pulls no punches in his behind-the-scenes account of the complex and often troubled relationship between the two countries. He argues that the United States provided Pakistan with the military and financial support necessary for Islamabad to hold its own against India, which is a far larger and more powerful neighbour.

Without American backing, according to Haqqani, Pakistan’s geopolitical ambitions would have been far more limited.

For much of the last seven decades, he explains, the United States misunderstood Pakistan’s true motivations. The U.S. saw Pakistan as a key strategic ally during the Cold War, pumping billions of dollars in military aid into a country that, in Haqqani’s view, was never truly aligned with the US anti-Soviet goals. Instead, Pakistan’s military leadership, driven by its long-standing rivalry with India, used American assistance to bolster its own regional ambitions, especially to maintain a balance of power with India.

“The U.S. was under the delusion that if it provided enough arms and aid, Pakistan would cease seeing India as a threat. But the reality was Pakistan’s primary aim was to use that aid to challenge India, and the U.S. was complicit in that delusion,” says Haqqani.

His book traces these historic missteps, revealing how both countries, trapped in their own narratives, misunderstood one another. Haqqani provides a deep dive into key moments in U.S.-Pakistan history, including the aftermath of the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Conducted by U.S. Navy SEALs in Pakistan’s Abbottabad, the raid exposed an ugly truth – Bin Laden had been living in Pakistan for years just miles from the capital. The discovery ignited a wave of distrust between Washington and Islamabad, one that Haqqani claims had been brewing for decades.

But Haqqani does not just critique Pakistan’s leadership for failing to account for Bin Laden’s presence. He also takes aim at U.S. policymakers for their naive belief that military assistance would somehow reshape Pakistan’s behavior or curb its nuclear ambitions. The consistent American failure to understand Pakistan’s internal dynamics, Haqqani argues, has only perpetuated a dysfunctional alliance, one that was never built on mutual understanding or shared strategic goals.

“Both countries were trapped in their own delusions,” says Haqqani writes, adding, “The U.S. believed that providing military aid would change Pakistan's behavior, while Pakistan believed that military aid could help it outpace India. Neither side understood the other's true motivations.”

Through Haqqani's eyes, the U.S.-Pakistan relationship is a study in missed opportunities and catastrophic miscalculations. His book reveals that the American military-industrial complex’s ongoing support for Pakistan has, in some ways, locked the country into a cycle of military escalation, delaying crucial reforms that could address the root causes of its instability.

Beyond historical analysis, Haqqani’s narrative is a call to action. He believes that Pakistan must reevaluate its own self-perception and move beyond its reliance on foreign military aid if it is to truly prosper. For Haqqani, the book is not just a critique of U.S. foreign policy; it is also a plea for Pakistan to introspect and reform its internal structures – particularly its educational system and military policies.

“Pakistan must come to terms with its own dysfunctions. Without reforming its economy, educational system and military-first approach, Pakistan will continue to remain in the shadows of its potential,” Haqqani insists.

Haqqani does not shy away from addressing the enduring nature of U.S. misperceptions. While acknowledging the complexities of American politics, he highlights the American tendency to approach foreign relations with optimism and idealism, often ignoring the historical and cultural contexts of the countries it engages with.

“America tends to assume that its way is the right way. But understanding another country’s history, its struggles and its internal conflicts is essential for building a true partnership,” says Haqqani.

His book also explores the contrast between U.S. relationships with India and Pakistan. With its commitment to economic development and strategic nonalignment, India has cultivated a far more robust and multifaceted relationship with the U.S. than Pakistan has ever been able to manage. While Pakistan’s reliance on military assistance has defined its relationship with the U.S., India has managed to navigate its path by focusing on economic development, diplomacy and multi-level partnerships with the United States.

According to Haqqani, the difference is clear – India played a much better game than Pakistan when it came to its relationship with the United States. It is now reaping the benefits. “India laid the foundations for a much more industrialised economy. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s relationship with the U.S. has remained government-to-government, limited to military aid and diplomatic talks, rather than expanding into other areas like education, business and technology,” notes Haqqani.