India and the United States have called on Pakistan to take “immediate, sustained, and irreversible action” to ensure that no territory under its control was used for terrorist attacks.
“The Ministers strongly condemned any use of terrorist proxies and cross-border terrorism in all its forms and called for the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, and Pathankot attack, to be brought to justice,” read a joint statement issued by the governments of the US and India on the occasion of the Fourth Annual US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on Tuesday.
US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J Austin III welcomed Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Washington, DC on April 11, 2022, for the dialogue. Rajnath also shared the development in a tweet.
They called for concerted action against all terrorist groups – including groups proscribed by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, such as al-Qaeda, Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizb ul Mujahideen.
The ministers committed to the continued exchange of information about “sanctions and designations against terror groups and individuals, countering violent radicalism, use of the internet for terrorist purposes, and cross-border movement of terrorists.” They also stressed the need for upholding international standards on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism by all countries, consistent with FATF recommendations.
Global partnership and Indo-Pacific cooperation
India and the US also reviewed mutual efforts to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and assessed its broader implications. They urged an immediate cessation of hostilities and unequivocally condemned civilian deaths.
Recalling the inaugural meetings of Quad, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific in which the sovereignty integrity of all states “are respected, and countries are free from military, economic, and political coercion.” They further reaffirmed their dedication to promoting regional stability and prosperity by abiding by the rule of law.
“They also reiterated the importance of adherence to international law to meet challenges to the rules-based order, including in the South China Sea.”
Both the countries also recognised the importance of an “open, interoperable, secure, and reliable internet and stable cyberspace” while considering growing national security threats from both state and non-state malicious cyber actors.
Inclusive Afghan government
The prevailing situation in Afghanistan also came under discussion during the dialogue.
They called on the Taliban to abide by UNSC Resolution 2593 (2021), which demanded that Afghan territory “must never again be used to threaten or attack any country or to shelter or train terrorists, or to plan or finance terrorist attacks.”
The ministers urged the Taliban to adhere to all commitments; respect the human rights of all Afghans, including women, children, and members of minority groups; and uphold freedom of travel.
“They also emphasized the importance of an inclusive Afghan government and unhindered access for the United Nations and its implementing partners to deliver humanitarian assistance,” it read, “They recommitted to close consultations on Afghanistan to help facilitate an inclusive and peaceful future for all Afghans.”
