What Asim Munir’s frequent US visits mean for the rest of South Asia
Unprecedented visits by Pakistan’s army chief to the White House have redrawn old battle lines in South Asia. From India’s outreach to the Taliban to Pakistan’s deepening US ties, the region now faces a volatile reordering of power unseen since the Cold War
The geopolitical atmosphere of South Asia is facing escalating tensions as a series of developments unfold among the region's key political players. As of October 2025, the region stands at a precarious crossroads, with Pakistan's air strikes on Afghanistan and India's diplomatic outreach to the Taliban signalling a volatile realignment.
A closer look reveals that these events stem in part from Asim Munir's visits to the White House in June, August and September of 2025, which bolstered Pakistan's military clout, advanced US strategic goals, and triggered a broader reshaping of global alliances.
Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Asim Munir, and US President Donald Trump held a private meeting in June during the Iran-Israel conflict. The meeting, hosted at the White House, included a luncheon at President Trump's invitation. President Trump reportedly invited Munir to thank him for his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan conflict earlier in May.
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This meeting carried exceptional diplomatic significance, as it marked the first time a US president formally met with the military chief of a foreign country without the usual presence of civilian officials.
Although Trump's previous meetings with world leaders were often open to media coverage, this particular meeting was held under strict confidentiality. According to media reports, not a single detail of the two-hour meeting was made public. Consequently, suspicion has arisen in several quarters about the nature of this closed-door meeting with a military leader rather than civilian authorities. Nonetheless, the event was unprecedented in both US and recent global political history, and within a short period, Munir's second visit in August 2025 further reinforced its significance.
In a democratic state, it is expected that the military operates under civilian authority. However, in Pakistan, the ongoing debate centres on who truly holds power, and these visits have renewed that question. Pakistan's military has remained the country's most influential institution since its founding, positioning itself as the de facto counterpart to the civilian government. Given this status quo, these high-profile meetings elevated not only Munir's global relevance but also the military's prominence in Islamabad's foreign-policy calculus.
Some observers argue that the meetings have undermined long-standing US commitments to democracy in global politics. This raises the critical question: Is Trump bypassing democratic norms to legitimise Pakistan's military establishment for his own interests? Retired Indian Army Chief Utpal Bhattacharya told Deutsche Welle, "Trump has pointedly demonstrated that … the Army Chief is the boss in Pakistan. That is why Trump held discussions with Munir and invited him to the White House."
Raza Ahmad Rumi, a lecturer at City University of New York (CUNY), cautioned against "confusing symbolism with transformation" and added: "This meeting validates the enduring military-to-military track in US-Pakistan ties, but it also bypasses the civilian setup, which should worry anyone rooting for democratic consolidation."
Meanwhile, the latest flare-up on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border has dramatically heightened regional volatility. Since 9 October 2025, Pakistani strikes — including air-strikes in Kabul and other provinces — and subsequent cross-border clashes have resulted in dozens of deaths on both sides, and the closure of key crossings. On 12 October, Pakistan closed its major border crossings with Afghanistan after violent exchanges of fire. On 16 October, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported at least 18 killed and over 360 wounded since 10 October.
At the same time, India took a significant diplomatic step in October 2025 by announcing the upgrade of its mission in Kabul to a full embassy, which signals a deeper engagement with the Taliban-led Afghan government. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, visiting Delhi, emphasised that Afghan territory would not be used against India — a pointed message directed at Pakistan.
The convergence of these developments suggests South Asia is undergoing a strategic recalibration: Pakistan's military is gaining increased international recognition, India is shifting to broaden its diplomatic outreach, and the US appears to be adjusting its traditional alliances in the region. As each actor manoeuvres for influence, the risk of miscalculation — militarily, diplomatically or economically — has never been higher.
Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman is an independent researcher with a graduate and postgraduate degree in Government and Politics from Jahangirnagar University. Rahat Chowdhury is an MA student in History at Jahangirnagar University.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.
