In this episode of #Unraveled, host Marvi Sirmed talks with Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center's South Asia Institute and a columnist for Foreign Policy magazine. The discussion focuses on America’s new game plan for South Asia and its impact on Pakistan-India relations, rising China’s influence in the region, and BRICS.
While responding to a question, Kugelman said that the United States has tried to scale up engagement with countries throughout the region to contain China by providing alternatives to different models of investment.
He further said that BRICS is a broader challenge that the next US administration will face in South Asia.
To a question regarding the US role in Pakistan-India peace, Kugelman said Trump had offered to act as a mediator in the past, but that was not a genuine offer, and the motive was to get Pakistan’s support to help the US get the Taliban to the table for a negotiation.