New Delhi, Dec 6: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday criticised the Centre following the release of the 2025 US National Security Strategy (NSS), highlighting the document’s repetition of former President Donald Trump’s disputed claim regarding India-Pakistan conflict and a perceived softening of the US stance on Pakistan.
Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in-charge of Communications, pointed out two key concerns in the document: Trump’s repeated assertion of resolving the India-Pakistan conflict and a notable shift in language regarding Pakistan compared to the 2017 Trump era NSS.
“In his introduction and on page 8, President Trump reiterates his claim that he ‘settled the raging conflict between India and Pakistan,’” Ramesh said, stressing that India has consistently rejected this assertion, clarifying that de-escalation resulted from direct bilateral talks.
The Congress leader further noted that the new strategy omits earlier direct criticisms of Pakistan’s support for militant groups, a stance that had been explicit in the 2017 NSS. Ramesh accused the government of failing to ensure a strong US position against Pakistan and underscored his criticism with a Hindi couplet: “Kya se kya ho gaya, bewafa teri dosti mein” (What has become of our friendship, unfaithful one).
The US NSS is a key document outlining American national security and foreign policy strategy. Congress leaders have repeatedly questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence over Trump’s repeated claims of mediating the India-Pakistan conflict, arguing that India’s diplomatic stance is being undermined.
Ramesh’s remarks signal a fresh round of opposition criticism, urging the Centre to clarify India’s position in response to the contentious assertions in the US strategy document.