India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has sharply criticised the evolving power dynamics in Pakistan, terming it an “embarrassment” for the country that its Army Chief General Asim Munir was recently invited for a meeting with US President Donald Trump, while Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was notably absent.
In an interview with media, Singh said:
“It must be an embarrassment to any country that the military chief gets invited [to the US] and the prime minister is nowhere to be seen. It’s a very strange thing.”
Singh highlighted that the episode clearly demonstrates where the real power resides in Pakistan, implying that the military, not the elected civilian government, holds decisive authority.
Expressing further surprise at General Munir’s influential role in Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council—a body responsible for key economic decisions—Singh said:
“It’s a structurally imbalanced state where the military essentially has first claim on resources. Despite having a $370 billion economy, they prioritise military spending over pressing socio-economic needs.”
He emphasised that this disproportionate influence contributes to Pakistan’s chronic internal economic struggles, even as it pursues militarised conflict policies with its neighbours.
When asked about reports of Asim Munir’s promotion to Field Marshal, Singh responded with bemusement and incredulity, saying:
“You accept it with a kind of mixture of bemusement and incredulity — that such absurdity can happen. But that’s the way it goes in Pakistan. You can essentially award yourself the rank of Field Marshal.”
Singh underlined that Munir’s visit to the White House, in contrast to Sharif’s absence, symbolises the real power structure in Pakistan:
“The fact that you are going to the White House, your prime minister is not there, but you are there, would indicate where the sort of power relationship lies. So, in a sense, he’s awarded himself the Field Marshal rank, I guess.”
The Defence Secretary’s remarks reflect India’s long-standing observation that Pakistan’s military plays a dominant role not only in defence but also in its political and economic decision-making processes, a feature that often complicates bilateral relations and regional stability.
Meanwhile, reports suggest that the US-Pakistan engagement remains largely driven by military-to-military cooperation, as Islamabad grapples with internal political and economic crises.