US move against LeT proxy raises India’s hopes

INDIA has finally heaved a sigh of relief on the diplomatic front. The US has designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a global terrorist outfit, vindicating New Delhi’s tougher-than-ever stand on cross-border terrorism. In a brief but telling statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has noted that the TRF had claimed responsibility not only for the April 22 Pahalgam attack but also for several attacks against Indian security forces in recent years. Though Rubio has stopped short of naming or alluding to Pakistan, where the LeT is based, he has echoed President Trump’s “call for justice” in the Pahalgam case.

It’s apparent that the US is trying to placate India, which has repeatedly asserted after Operation Sindoor that perpetrators and victims of terror should not be equated. Delhi was obviously not amused when Washington played host to the army and air force chiefs of Pakistan. Has America realised at long last that brazen duplicity on terrorism is a perilous course? India can draw that conclusion only if the US makes decisive moves that would put Pakistan in a spot.

The US needs to be reminded of the joint statement that was issued after a meeting between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in February. It mentioned that the two leaders called on Pakistan (yes, the P-word was used) to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terror strikes. This firm resolve has been conspicuous by its absence from Trump’s statements and actions after the Pahalgam massacre. As per India’s National Investigation Agency, the attackers were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the LeT. The terror tag given to TRF is a good first step; the acid test for the US is to consistently walk the talk on counter-terror cooperation with India.

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