As the United States gets ever more into bed with Pakistan—spanning military support, buying US planes, intelligence co-operation (where have we heard all that before?), mining, oil, and crypto liaisons—the United Kingdom finds itself at a crossroads. Does it follow Washington’s wallet‑tilting charm offensive, or lean into the far sturdier, far more strategic embrace of India? The answer should be as clear as a Scotch in the Commons.
1. The U.S.–Pakistan Pivot: A Strategic Grey Zone
Just last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced new economic entanglements with Pakistan—spanning critical minerals and hydrocarbons, tied in with burgeoning counter‑terrorism collaboration and reduced tariffs. He can says what he likes, and put Intel into Pakistan now that Microsoft have pulled out and Apple and Tesla are ever deeper into India.
And it's not just polite diplomacy—this is flattery turned policy. The U.S. has already lowered Pakistani tariffs under the banner of trade appeal, while bolstering crypto and rare‑earth alliances.
It isn’t merely opportunistic—it’s theatrical. The overtures, while dramatic, are built on shifting sands. Pakistan’s offers—oil reserves, crypto ventures, rare‑earth partnerships—shine on paper but flicker when faced with economic and security instability. Pakistan will play the harlot between two suitors – China and America and milk both for as much as she can get.
2. India: Your FTA Partner, Not Just Another Trade Friend
Meanwhile, Britain isn't just standing around. The India‑UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in July 2025 slashed tariffs across 99% of trade lines, unlocking not just deals—but £6 billion in fresh investments and over 2,200 British jobs. This is the UK's most ambitious trade pact post‑Brexit—and it's already paying dividends.
Put simply: while the U.S. flirts with flashy promises, the UK has sealed a serious, long‑term deal—with substance, job creation, and mutual growth. But the UK is no fool, it knows India is independent minded. Their biggest concern will be India does something on UK soil as it is alleged to have done in Canada – and it gets out – and then the relations is really kaput.
3. Defence and Tech: Forging Tangible, Not Transactional, Bonds
This deepening partnership runs deeper than balance‑of‑payments charts. In early 2025, the UK inked pacts with India’s Bharat Dynamics, supplying advanced air‑defence systems, missiles, and next‑gen naval propulsion systems.
On the tech front, the UK‑India Strategic Partnership extends into AI, semiconductors, quantum, biotech, and critical minerals—fledgling but focused collaborations across innovation corridors define the Vision 2035 future roadmap.
4. Crypto Cold War: India’s Margin for Error Has Shrunk
It’s not just dollars and missiles in play—blockchains are too. As Pakistan, Bhutan, the U.S., and UAE race into crypto ecosystems as geopolitical tools, India is notably cautious, teetering on regulatory ambivalence—a position that may leave it outpaced in this digital arena.
Here lies a golden opportunity for the UK: it could help India find its crypto footing—regulatory frameworks, exchange partnerships, fintech labs—rather than letting policy paralysis become a strategic liability. It won’t. Not until there is a PM Farage who is a Cryptophile.
While the U.S. seeks whimsical headline wins with Pakistan, Britain is building infrastructure, not just headlines, with India.
India isn't just another emerging market—it is the fast-growing democracy with the workforce, ambition, and stability the UK desperately needs. From trade to defence, from tech to innovation, we aren’t whispering opportunism—we’re striding in, boots dusting.
But democracy is not more important to democracies than money. And money talks. India is getting richer.
A mark of friendship – is not nominating the US President for a Nobel Peace Prize but India to a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and joining 5 Eyes intelligence sharing with US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada – neither will happen in our lifetimes.
If Britain wants to punch beyond its weight in Asia, its base can’t be standing in Washington’s heralded corridor—but forging ahead, in New Delhi – for selfish reasons – now we live in a selfish era led by the leader of the free world.
Now’s the moment: let’s not just talk about the ‘new special relationship’—let’s act a little more like it. When the British PM next visits India, all this and more will come up. I am sure the diaspora having seen how the almighty Indian diaspora in the US proved ineffectual and wrongfooted in the US, will in the UK be more circumspect about mentioning ‘special’ next to ‘relationship.
At least in India bombing Pakistani terror camps, they’ve brought Pakistan to the negotiating table with America on counterterrorism at the meeting in Islamabad this August. After all, America understands the mother of all Pakistani resident terrorists, their old friend turned enemy – Osama. “Friends turning enemies in Pakistan” – there is a phrase to save for later.