"Pak's A Military Dictatorship As Opposed To India": Ex-Australian PM To NDTV

Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday called Pakistan a "military dictatorship" as opposed to India - a "liberal democracy". Speaking at the NDTV World Summit 2025, Abbott said one of the biggest mistakes the US made during the Cold War was consistently "tilting towards Pakistan".

"One of the big mistakes that America made during the Cold War period was consistently tilting towards Pakistan - a military dictatorship, as opposed to India - a liberal democracy. For the last 20 years, Americans, very sensibly, have been trying to rectify that. I think this is a serious setback, but given the fundamental community of interests and values that India does have with the democracies, I think it landed a temporary setback," Abbott said.

He added, "America's fundamental interests lie in a strong friendship with India compared to Pakistan. India's fundamental interests lie in a strong partnership with fellow democracies, much less than with dictatorships."

The former Australian PM said Pakistan gave Osama Bin Laden "a home" as it closely "cooperated" with the US on terrorism.

"Pakistan cooperated so closely with the US on terrorism that it gave (Osama) Bin Laden a home for the best part of a decade. We can't be under any illusions. There are good people in Pakistan, but it is still at heart a military society with a strong Islamist streak. India is totally different. I'm not saying the US should not work with Pakistan where it can. It should. But, it needs to know where its better friends are," he said.

Recalling his time as a Prime Minister, Abbott said, "I thought I would do my best to work constructively with everyone. But you've always got to know where your friends are. And your friends are the ones with whom there are common interests, common values, and a particular common history. You've always got to realise that."