In a major development for India-US counter-terrorism cooperation, the United States has officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). This move has been met with support across the Indian political spectrum, with Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sharing details of the quiet diplomatic efforts that preceded the announcement.
Taking to social media platform X, Tharoor welcomed the US decision but noted that it was “long overdue.” The TRF, widely known as a proxy of the Pakistan-based and banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The assault left 26 civilians dead, making it the most deadly attack on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
In his post, Tharoor disclosed that he had raised concerns during private discussions with US officials in Washington earlier this year. He questioned the American hesitation in holding Pakistan accountable for its ongoing support of terrorist networks.
“In my private conversations in Washington, when I asked people bluntly why the US were still allowing Pakistan to get away with providing a safe haven to terrorist organisations, I was pointed to Pakistan’s alleged cooperation with the US on counter-terror operations,” Tharoor wrote.
He further referred to the surrender of the individual suspected in the Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul Airport during the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The attack, claimed by ISIS, killed 23 US marines. According to reports, the Taliban handed over the suspect to the US earlier this year—a development cited by American officials as part of ongoing counter-terror cooperation with Pakistan.
Tharoor highlighted the differing perceptions between the US and India regarding Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts:
“Our scepticism about the quality and sincerity of Pakistani actions against terrorism reflects our own experience with those terror agencies that are directed against us, rather than those that the US deems hostile, such as ISIS-Khorasan. This [designation] is a step towards bridging the gap in perceptions between the US and us on this,” he added.
He also noted that this step would support India’s long-standing effort to have TRF designated at the United Nations as a global terror threat.
In a formal statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the US move, calling it “a timely and important step” that reflects the strength of the bilateral partnership in fighting terrorism.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar echoed the sentiment in a post on X:
“A strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation. Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF—a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for terrorism. #OpSindoor.”
The Ministry reaffirmed India’s commitment to a “zero tolerance” policy on terrorism and emphasized the country’s determination to seek accountability for terrorist proxies and operatives operating from across the border.
This move is expected to further solidify cooperation between New Delhi and Washington in combating regional and global terrorism and represents a shift in how the US views Pakistan’s role in enabling cross-border militancy.
