Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade-long campaign to diplomatically isolate Pakistan has failed, according to a report by Al Jazeera, which cited analysts as saying that Islamabad has successfully positioned itself as an important diplomatic player for both global powers and regional stakeholders.
The assessment comes nearly 10 years after Modi publicly vowed to isolate Pakistan following a 2016 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 18 Indian soldiers.
Addressing a public rally in Kerala after the attack, Modi declared that India would intensify efforts to ensure Pakistan remained diplomatically isolated on the global stage, stating: “We will make sure that you are isolated around the world.”
However, analysts quoted in the report argue that Pakistan today appears far from isolated. The country remains a close strategic ally of China and has also re-emerged as a trusted partner of the United States under President Donald Trump.
Over the past year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir both held meetings with Trump at the White House. Pakistan has also played a key mediating role in diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Iran.
According to the report, analysts believe Pakistan has effectively engaged with the Trump administration while capitalising on major geopolitical developments to establish itself as a significant diplomatic actor for both superpowers and regional countries.
Relations between Pakistan and India have remained largely frozen in recent years, with diplomatic engagement stalled and tensions continuing along the border. The two neighbours have also experienced periodic military confrontations, including a brief conflict last year.
During the 87-hour conflict in May 2025, Pakistan claimed it downed eight Indian fighter aircraft, including four French-made Rafale jets, one Su-30, one MiG-29, one Mirage 2000 and an advanced multi-role unmanned aerial system, in addition to dozens of drones.
The confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 following a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.
While India maintained that the ceasefire was achieved solely through bilateral engagement, Trump repeatedly stated that Washington played a decisive role in brokering the truce and preventing a potentially dangerous escalation between Islamabad and New Delhi.
The US president also offered to help both countries find a solution to the longstanding Kashmir dispute, which has remained at the centre of Pakistan-India tensions since 1947.
The report noted that Trump has reiterated more than 30 times that he helped broker the ceasefire between the two countries. He also stated that Indian fighter jets were shot down during the opening stages of the conflict, echoing Pakistan’s account of events.
Analysts quoted in the report argued that India’s reluctance to immediately challenge those assertions strengthened international perceptions that Pakistan had gained an advantage in shaping the global narrative surrounding the conflict.
The report further stated that India was also unable to convince much of the international community regarding Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the incident that triggered the May 2025 hostilities.
According to analysts, Modi’s refusal to publicly acknowledge Trump’s role in securing the ceasefire created friction in relations between Washington and New Delhi.
Pakistan, by contrast, quickly recognised Trump’s efforts in achieving the truce and later nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pakistan Expands Diplomatic Influence
The report also highlighted significant changes in Pakistan’s regional diplomatic relationships. Following the removal of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have reportedly improved considerably.
At the same time, Pakistan’s longstanding strategic partnership with China gained renewed prominence during last year’s conflict, as Pakistan utilised Chinese-made missile defence systems and fighter aircraft.
The report further observed that India has increasingly aligned itself with Israel under Modi’s leadership, becoming one of Israel’s closest partners and largest buyers of military equipment, while also frequently abstaining from United Nations resolutions critical of Tel Aviv.
Analysts suggested that India’s growing alignment with Israel has complicated its relations with Gulf states, particularly at a time when Pakistan has been expanding security cooperation with members of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Amid continuing conflicts involving Israel in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Iran, Qatar and Syria, Gulf countries have increasingly sought to diversify their security partnerships beyond their traditional reliance on the United States.
In September 2025, Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defence pact with Pakistan. Reports later emerged suggesting that other Gulf countries, as well as Türkiye, were also considering joining the Saudi-Pakistan defence framework.
According to the report, the May 2025 conflict further enhanced Pakistan’s reputation as a credible security partner, contributing to increased international interest in Pakistani fighter aircraft and defence capabilities.