India has welcomed the United States’ decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), describing it as a “strong affirmation” of India–US counter-terrorism cooperation. The TRF, identified as a proxy for the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the 22 April Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed around 25–26 civilians, including a Nepali national. The attack marked the deadliest terror incident in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Department of State, emphasising that the move reinforced India’s policy of zero tolerance for terrorism. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) echoed this sentiment in a statement, highlighting India’s consistent call for global cooperation to dismantle terror networks. The MEA noted that the US designation is a timely and significant step that reflects the deepening counter-terrorism partnership between the two countries.
Indian and US officials pointed to the TRF’s direct role in orchestrating terror attacks, particularly the Pahalgam incident, as grounds for the designation. The measure is seen as part of a wider push to remove safe havens for terrorists and strengthen regional security.
In response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting camps suspected of links to the assault, and sought to draw international attention to Pakistan’s alleged support for such groups. Diplomatic ties with Pakistan were further downgraded, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and halting visa services for Pakistani nationals. Pakistan retaliated with its own measures, such as closing airspace to Indian carriers and warning against water diversion.