Quad falls short of naming Pakistan for abetting cross-border terrorism

A joint statement of the Quad foreign ministers, who met in Washington on Tuesday, is significant not only for what it contains but also for what it doesn’t. The grouping of four premier democracies — India, the US, Australia and Japan — has unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism and violent extremism, including cross-border terrorism, and renewed its commitment to counter-terrorism cooperation. It’s a morale-booster for India that the Quad has condemned the Pahalgam terror attack “in the strongest terms” and called for the perpetrators, organisers and financiers of this “reprehensible act” to be brought to justice. These remarks are in tune with the UN Security Council’s stand that those responsible for the April 22 killings should be held accountable.

What’s disappointing for New Delhi is that the statement neither makes any mention of Pakistan nor of India’s military retaliation, Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror sites in the neighbouring country. India has been saying from the outset that the Pahalgam massacre bears the cross-border stamp, but even its close allies have been reluctant or unwilling to name and shame Pakistan. The US, in particular, is brazenly playing a double game. Despite India’s assertion that perpetrators and victims of terrorism should not be equated, the Trump administration has hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir and Air Chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu in recent weeks. The US has also spared no opportunity to praise Pakistan’s “counter-terrorism” initiatives. Australia and Japan have deftly walked a tightrope rather than rooting for India against Pakistan.

Another disconcerting thing for India, which is scheduled to host the Quad summit this year, is the rift among the members. Japan and Australia, both key US allies, preferred to skip the recent NATO summit. Internal differences threaten to weaken the grouping, which is perceived to be a counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Unless course correction is done, India’s efforts to use the Quad as a platform against Pak-sponsored terrorism might come to naught.

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