Two days later, on June 18th, America’s president hosted Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House. Mr Trump and Mr Modi spoke by phone the day before, allowing India’s leader to assert that the recent conflict ended at Pakistan’s request and to reaffirm his objections to mediation on Kashmir.

Pakistan's Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Wednesday became the country's first serving chief of army staff to be hosted by a US president in the White House. The luncheon-level engagement was described by Pakistan Army's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) as “cordial” and "unprecedented" for a military officer who holds no political portfolio.

President Donald Trump is expected to meet Pakistan’s army chief for talks as the US considers supporting Israeli airstrikes on Iran, a country with a cooperative and complex relationship with the government in Islamabad.