New York, Sep 25 (NationPress) A high-ranking official from the State Department has affirmed that Washington is maintaining separate engagements with India and Pakistan, viewing these relationships as distinct, and alleviating concerns regarding a potential re-hyphenation. In a briefing with reporters on Wednesday (local time), the official emphasized that regarding Kashmir, the US adheres to its longstanding policy that this matter is directly between India and Pakistan.

While President Donald Trump is open to offering assistance if requested, stating, “we have no interest in it and he has enough crises on his hands,” the official reiterated, “We will leave that up to India and Pakistan to resolve.”

According to the official, “We continue to view India and Pakistan in two separate contexts, assessing their relationships independently while promoting an America First agenda that aligns with our interests.”

This stance counters some analysts in India who perceive a gradual “re-hyphenation” by the US—tying its relations with New Delhi and Islamabad together—following Trump’s claims of having mediated the conflict in May, which reset ties with Islamabad.

India has firmly rejected any US mediation, asserting that the conflict was settled independently by the two nations.

Nevertheless, the official reaffirmed Trump’s claims, downplaying New Delhi's denial of US involvement, stating, “The Indian government has a domestic audience they must address.”

“However, it is a fact that the United States was engaged during that crisis,” the official added.

The briefer, speaking under the condition of anonymity to address critical diplomatic matters amid “turbulence” in India-US relations, also expressed some unease regarding Islamabad's connections with Beijing.

“Their relationship with China continues to concern us,” the official noted.

However, the official emphasized that the US aims to assess Pakistan through the lens of US-Pakistan relations, focusing on identifying collaborative opportunities.