New Delhi, July 18 . India has welcomed the US decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) — a proxy of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) — as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), calling it a decisive step underscoring the deepening counter-terrorism cooperation between New Delhi and Washington.
“The government of India welcomes the decision of the United States Department of State to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). We acknowledge and appreciate the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio in this regard,” India said in a statement.
The TRF had claimed responsibility for the terror attack at J&K’s Pahalgam on April 22. Twenty-five tourists, including one Nepali citizen, were killed in the attack.
Appreciating the leadership of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, India said this decisive move marks a critical step in holding Pakistan-sponsored terror groups accountable and underscores the need for global cooperation in combating terrorism and dismantling terror infrastructure.
“India has consistently emphasized the need for global cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the dismantling of terror infrastructure. The designation of TRF is a timely and important step reflecting the deep cooperation between India and the United States on counter-terrorism,” the statement by Indian government said.
The TRF has been involved in numerous terror-related activities, including the heinous attack on civilians in Pahalgam, for which it twice claimed responsibility, the statement added.
India also said that it remains committed to a policy of “zero tolerance towards terrorism” and will “continue to work closely with its international partners to ensure that terrorist organizations and their proxies are held accountable”.
Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Washington hailed the development as “another demonstration of strong India-US counter-terrorism cooperation.”
. . PRS
