NEW DELHI: India and the United States reiterated their condemnation of the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the Pathankot strike in a veiled message to Pakistan on Friday, calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. In a joint statement issued at the conclusion of the ‘2+2’ foreign and defence ministerial dialogue, New Delhi and Washington condemned terrorism and violent extremism, as well as the use of terrorist proxies and logistical, financial, and military support to terror groups. The American delegation was led by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, while the Indian delegation was led by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The two sides also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and urged the Taliban to keep their promise to prevent any group or individual from using Afghan territory to threaten the security of any country. India and the United States also urged the Taliban to respect all Afghans’ human rights, including women, children, and members of minority groups, and to maintain freedom of movement. “India and the US reiterated their condemnation of the 26/11 Mumbai attack and the Pathankot attack and called for bringing the perpetrators of these attacks to justice,” the statement went on to say.“The ministers also called for concerted action against all terrorists, including through designations of individuals affiliated with groups that are listed by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee, such as Al-Qa’ida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed,” according to the statement. Terrorist groups based in Pakistan were responsible for the 26/11 and Pathankot attacks in 2016. The ministers emphasised the importance of adhering to international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards, as recommended by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to cooperating in FATF and other multilateral forums.“They expressed determination to counter new and emerging forms of terrorism and violent extremism and the use of emerging and evolving technologies such as unmanned aerial systems and the internet for terrorist purposes,” the statement went on to say. The ministers agreed to hold the 20th meeting of the India-US joint working group on counter-terrorism and the fifth designations dialogue early next year at a mutually convenient time. “Both parties are looking forward to the 2024 edition of the Homeland Security Dialogue, where leaders will advance security cooperation through capacity building and other activities.“The two sides also agreed on the importance of strengthening the security of critical networks and information infrastructure.” The ministers also discussed Afghanistan’s situation. “The ministers urged the Taliban to keep their promise to prevent any group or individual from using Afghan territory to threaten the security of any country, citing UN Security Council Resolution 2593 (2021), which states that “Afghan territory must not be used to threaten or attack any country, or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or finance terrorist attacks.” “They also emphasised unhindered access to deliver humanitarian assistance and recommitted to having consultations on Afghanistan to help facilitate an inclusive and peaceful future for all Afghans,” the statement said.
