Former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken backs India's right to defend itself, says Washington's ties with New Delhi and Islamabad are fundamentally different. Antony Blinken said Washington must respect India's right to defend itself against terrorism, describing US ties with New Delhi as global and its relationship with Islamabad as primarily regional. Antony Blinken's remarks came against the backdrop of perceived closeness between President Donald Trump's administration and the Pakistani.