By Angelo Giuliano
For decades, the United States has orchestrated a divide-and-conquer strategy across Eurasia, sowing discord between Pakistan, India, and China to maintain Western dominance. This approach is not new; it echoes the tactics of the British Empire, which for generations pitted regional powers against each other to secure its own influence. Today, the U.S. continues this legacy, manipulating tensions to undermine the rise of a multipolar world where Pakistan and India play pivotal roles. In a potential Pakistan-India conflict, the only true victors would be the United States and its allies, who thrive on division and instability in the region.
The U.S. has long fueled unrest in sensitive areas like India-administered Kashmir. Through organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), it has stirred trouble, funding and supporting groups that exacerbate local grievances. Simultaneously, U.S.-backed elements within Pakistan's military and intelligence networks have, for decades, supported terrorist operations across Kashmir, perpetuating a cycle of violence. These actions serve to destabilize both nations, draining their resources and diverting attention from development to conflict. The U.S. also exploits racial and religious divisions within India, while seeking to influence its political and military leadership, further eroding national cohesion.
This manufactured conflict benefits neither Pakistan nor India. Both nations face pressing needs—economic development, infrastructure, education, and healthcare—that are sidelined by the endless black hole of unwinnable wars. The human and financial toll of such conflicts is staggering, with billions spent on arms and security while citizens grapple with poverty and underdevelopment. For Pakistan, the strain of prolonged conflict weakens its economy and global standing. For India, it distracts from its ambitions as a rising global power and complicates its relationships with neighbors like China.
The timing of heightened tensions is no coincidence. The U.S. is increasingly desperate to counter China's growing influence, particularly through its close alliance with Pakistan via initiatives like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). At the same time, India's drift away from Western influence, evidenced by its participation in BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, alarms Washington. A Pakistan-India conflict serves multiple U.S. objectives: it undermines China's regional allies, coerces India back into the Western orbit, and delays the broader rise of multipolarism, a global order where power is shared among diverse nations rather than dominated by one.
Yet, the geopolitical big picture is often obscured by personal biases—political, ideological, racial, or religious—that blind people to the larger forces at play. Across the globe, individuals are drawn into this modern divide-and-conquer strategy, aligning with one side or another without questioning the underlying agenda. The battle lines, however, are not just geographic; they are first drawn in our minds. If we fail to fortify our thinking against the ambitions and tools of empire, we become unwitting pawns in a game that serves neither our interests nor those of our nations.
The path forward lies in rejecting division and embracing a principle over any person, party, or prejudice. For those who champion multipolarism, the goal is not a Pakistani or Indian "victory" but peace, stability, and prosperity for both nations and the broader region. A multipolar world thrives on cooperation, not conflict, and both Pakistan and India have critical roles to play in shaping this future. By resolving disputes through dialogue and focusing on mutual development, they can defy the U.S.-led agenda and strengthen their sovereignty.
The stakes are high. A Pakistan-India war would not only devastate both nations but also set back the global shift toward a more equitable world order. It would divert resources from progress to destruction, entrench Western hegemony, and delay the emergence of a multipolar system. To avoid this trap, leaders and citizens alike must recognize the true beneficiaries of their conflict and resist the siren call of division. Only by uniting for peace and development can Pakistan and India reclaim their agency and build a future that serves their people, not the ambitions of a fading empire.
In the end, the choice is clear: succumb to the manipulations of external powers or forge a path of cooperation that uplifts both nations. The world is watching, and the outcome will shape the trajectory of Eurasia—and the global order—for generations to come.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.
Read more articles by Angelo Giuliano:
Opinion | WW2: Uncomfortable realities of US divide-and-conquer tactics
Opinion | China-Russia alliance and global peace: The 80th anniversary of victory in Moscow
Opinion | China's collectivist triumph over Western individualism in the 2025 tariff war
Opinion | Lawfare and the EU's authoritarian turn: Echoes of JD Vance's warning
Comment