By: Sarral Sharma
Although Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the United States — and meeting with U.S. president Donald Trump — received plenty of attention for issues such as tariffs, technology transfers, and immigration, there were some notable developments on counter-terrorism. The joint statement between the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to eliminate terrorist safe havens “from every corner of the world.”
The statement also urged “Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot terror attacks,” and specifically referenced Pakistan-based terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT). Such positions are not new — echoing the June 2023 joint statement — but they convey a positive signal on U.S.-India counterterrorism cooperation over the next four years.
The signal of intent suggests that India may seek increased cooperation from the United States to pressure Pakistan regarding its provision of shelter and support to both domestic and international terror groups, in part by linking its concerns to global efforts. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court approved the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana, who is an accused in the Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, which claimed the lives of more than 160 people including six Americans. During a joint press conference with Modi after their bilateral talks, Trump specifically mentioned Rana’s extradition.
Cooperation could also extend to Afghanistan. In their joint statement, the two leaders surprisingly mentioned the Abbey Gate attack in Afghanistan, which resulted in the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghan civilians. This suggests possible cooperation against international terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS), al-Qaeda, and their regional affiliates, and comes just as India’s relations with the Taliban-led interim government in Kabul have improved significantly. In a recent high-level meeting, India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, indicating signs of increasing bilateral engagement between the two countries. The context involves growing Pakistan-Afghanistan disagreement over the cross-border activities of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the unresolved Durand Line issue.
Despite the evident commitment and keenness on the part of the Modi and Trump governments to cooperate on their mutual counter-terrorism priorities, there remain some obstacles. There will need to be greater clarity on the scope of such cooperation, particularly if South Asia is likely to be a lower priority for the Trump administration. The previous Trump administration did witness an uptick in cross-border terrorist activities targeting India from Pakistan, including the Pulwama attack in February 2019 that led to a military crisis between the two countries. Both Washington and New Delhi must also handle the Khalistan issue —involving separatist demands from some Sikh groups based in the United States — with sensitivity if broader counter-terrorism cooperation between them is to flourish.
Sarral Sharma is a Doctoral Candidate at the Special Center for National Security Studies (SCNSS), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. The views expressed herein are strictly his own.