US defence policy advisor and also advisor to the Trump transition team, Michael Pillsbury spoke to The Sunday Guardian. Excerpts:
ON INDIA-US AND THE NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: Many things can happen in the Trump administration. With India if he (President Donal Trump) continues engagement like the Obama administration did, with Ashton Carter visiting and signing agreements… He might even be able to do more.
ON US-INDIA ANTI TERROR COOPERATION: I see a lot of Indian military and intelligence officers remain very sceptical of America. I think they still believe that Russia is their number one friend. I didn’t at first appreciate it when I first came in 1980s, then I understood because that it was because of non alignment…
ON SHARING TECHNOLOGY WITH INDIA. IS IT BETTER TO WORK WITH NARENDRA MODI?: Modi has been much better and he has thought up this idea of Make in India… If you go to an Indian Air Force base, you will see a French jet parked next to a Russian jet parked next to another kind of jet…and the maintenance of all these jets and teaching pilots to fly so the different kinds of aircraft… It’s one of the most unusual kinds of Air Force. They are better off sticking with one country with the best aircraft and unifying efforts.
ON WHETHER TRUMP AGGRESSION ON CHINA WILL IMPACT THE REGION: Mr Trump is very proud of being unpredictable. It’s in one of his books. He gets advantage in negotiations. It’s a smart approach and that’s what he is doing with the Chinese. Not laying out what he will do. He is making them nervous. They better have some concessions on the trade front, which is the Trump administration’s main focus. Two wonderful phrases—“Make America Great Again” and “America First” means economically, not in military sense.
ON WHAT U.S. WILL DO ON PAK TERROR: I have visited Pakistan a number of times. They deny all the things about supporting terror and we only know of the things through very sensitive intelligence, which we cannot disclose to them. It’s very delicate to be ambassador to Pakistan. They do help us in some areas. They are not totally hostile. They are not America’s enemies, but there are some things that they hold from us. Mr Trump is known for his negotiating skills and so if anyone can improve Pakistan’s attitude on terrorists, it could be President Trump. But it’s going to be a tough one I think.
ON STOPPING AID TO PAK: There is growing American pressure to be tough on Pakistan, but what you have is that the activities of the ISI are often not disclosed even to the (Pak) President or PM. Sometimes we find out that the Pakistan leadership is innocent, that the ISI has taken matters into its own hands.
ON ISI IN CONTROL OF PAK: It’s not about ISI being in control of the whole country, it’s ISI’s belief that they have the authority to aid certain insurgents to conduct certain operations. This has happened in other countries too where vague orders are given…
On INDIA AS A UNSC MEMBER: It’s very difficult because the original plan for the UN was that the Permanent Five would have the power to veto anything. It’s amusing to look back and see that they were to promise troops to enforce decisions. Today that could have been used to fight terror, but when veto power is used that often, the UN was crippled. Indian membership will be a good thing, but the Germans and Japanese also want in. And China has been quite blunt that they don’t want India in the UN Security Council. Much of China’s narrative is how weak India is, its poverty.
ON TOP PICKS OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION: Very impressed by the picks for the Cabinet. He has for several billionaires in his Cabinet or as his advisors. Many generals who are not rich. Huge success stories. Not the case with Obama administration. Mr Trump also has a deep affection for India. He speaks in Hindi phrases.