Michael Kugelman, a Washington-based South Asia analyst and writer for the Foreign Policy magazine, said India is now a much closer U.S. partner than Pakistan.

In recent years, Pakistan has cultivated many friends over Islamism and shared geopolitical goals. However, none of them is likely to join it wholeheartedly in any conflict with India in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

The US has backed India without directly criticizing Pakistan, as President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance condemned the attack and affirmed solidarity.