India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has issued a sharp reminder to the United States over its growing closeness with Pakistan, saying Washington appears to be forgetting history — particularly the fact that Osama Bin Laden, one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, was found in Pakistan’s military town of Abbottabad in 2011.
“They have a history with each other. And they have a history of overlooking that history,” he said, in a pointed remark that drew attention to repeated American engagement with Pakistan despite deep-rooted concerns over terrorism.
Jaishankar noted that this isn’t the first time the US has chosen to "do the politics of convenience", implying a pattern of short-term strategic alignments without due regard for past consequences. “When you look at the certificates that somebody in the military will give, it’s the same military which went into Abbottabad and found you-know-who there,” he remarked, alluding to the US Navy SEALs’ 2011 operation that killed Bin Laden in a Pakistani garrison town.
Addressing claims made by former US President Donald Trump about mediating a ceasefire during Operation Sindoor — a reported military standoff — Jaishankar clarified that any cessation of hostilities was decided between New Delhi and Islamabad, not due to US intervention. He added that while the US side may have been informed, it was India and Pakistan that made their own decisions.
The minister's remarks underscore India’s longstanding concerns about the West’s inconsistent stance on Pakistan’s record with terrorism and military transparency.