LAHORE: (Friday, May 5, 2023): Punjab University Pakistan Study Centre has organized a Round Table Dialogue over Book ‘US Security Policy towards South Asia and Kashmir Dispute’. On this occasion, Director Pakistan Study Centre Prof Dr Naumana Kiran, Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Ejaz, Associate Prof. Dr. Amjad Abbas Khan Magsi faculty members and students were present. In his keynote address, Dr Ahmad Ejaz said that South Asia always retained importance for advancement of US strategic interests in the Asian landmass. He said that the US threat perceptions in Asia always molded its policy setting bounds to construct security system in the area. The US security policy towards South Asia region can be divided into three phases: balance of power in the Cold War period, beyond balance of power after the end of Cold War and new balance of power after September 11, 2001. He said that the US policy in South Asia in fact is predominantly exerted on US-Pakistan-India triangular relationship. He said the New World Order transformed the world to a uni-polar system that reshuffled the US foreign policy and security policy.
He said that given the US security interests and goals in Asia-Pacific region where new pattern of balance of power has grown up, the US South Asia policy underwent a reformation that subsequently picked India as a ‘natural partner. He said that the US new policy orientations in Asia-Pacific also had a great impact on the US approach towards South Asian region. The American experts indorsed an Indo-centric policy that underlining India as a largest secular democracy, expanding economy and swelling military might regarded it as a dominant power in the region that would play a central role to check the future challenges including China’s expanding influence in Asia-Pacific, and rising tide of Islamic extremism. He said that the Americans believe that the strategic partnership with India is based on shared values and vision of democracy, and regional security across Asia. He said the US-India strategic partnership has been constantly moving ahead expanding cooperation in the fields of defense, civil nuclear, and counterterrorism.