FIle photo of Union Home Minister Amit Shah paying his last respects to the deceased of Pahalgam terror attack, in Anantnag.
TRF Ban: India’s Diplomatic Coup Over Pakistan
Washington: The United States of America President Donald Trump’s diplomatic tightrope walk between India and Pakistan, marked by a controversial lunch with Pakistan’s General Asim Munir and the U.S. designation of The Resistance Front (TRF) as a terrorist organisation, underscores the complexities of counterterrorism in South Asia.
The U.S. Department of State’s July 17, 2025, designation of TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) targeted its role as a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based group infamous for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. This move followed the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, predominantly Hindu pilgrims, with 22 of the victims identified as Hindus according to Indian police reports.
Against the backdrop of Pakistan’s long-standing support for terrorist groups, India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor, and Trump’s ambiguous engagement with both nations, what could be the implications for U.S. reliability as a partner for India and Pakistan and whether the sanctions mark a diplomatic triumph for India and a strategic setback for Pakistan?
The Pahalgam attack in Baisaran Valley was a brutal assault on a group of 32 tourists, with assailants using M4 carbines and AK-47s to execute victims after demanding they recite Islamic verses, a method Indian authorities described as a sectarian tactic to target Hindus. The attack, which left only six survivors, occurred during U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India, suggesting an intent to escalate the Kashmir dispute on the global stage. Indian intelligence traced the attackers’ communications to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, alleging involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). TRF’s initial claim of responsibility, later retracted as a supposed cyberattack by Indian agencies, was dismissed by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs as a ploy to deflect international pressure. The attack’s scale and timing reignited India’s accusations of Pakistan’s state-sponsored terrorism, a charge supported by historical evidence of Pakistan’s support for groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Pakistan’s history of nurturing terrorist proxies is well-documented. The 2008 Mumbai attacks, orchestrated by LeT with ISI oversight, involved 10 attackers trained in Pakistan, as confirmed by the U.S. Department of State’s 2009 report. The 2019 Pulwama attack, claimed by JeM, killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, with evidence of ISI-provided explosives cited in India’s dossier to the UNSC. Pakistan’s failure to prosecute LeT leaders like Hafiz Saeed, who operated openly until 2017, and JeM’s Masood Azhar, designated a global terrorist only in 2019 after China lifted its UNSC veto, underscores its reluctance to dismantle these networks. The U.S. Treasury’s 2018 report noted that Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas served as safe havens for such groups, with minimal military action despite U.S. pressure. General Munir’s April 16, 2025, speech, invoking the Two-Nation Theory and calling Kashmir Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” was interpreted by Indian officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, as a green light for militant actions, given its proximity to the Pahalgam attack.
The U.S. designation of TRF under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224 imposes asset freezes, travel bans, and financial restrictions, crippling its operational capacity and reinforcing LeT’s FTO status. This aligns with India’s push since 2023 to list TRF under the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee, a move blocked by Pakistan and China until the U.S. action shifted the balance. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s diplomacy with UNSC members like Denmark and Greece, backed by intelligence linking TRF to LeT’s funding networks, strengthened India’s case. The designation isolates TRF and implicitly endorses India’s narrative of Pakistan’s complicity, a significant diplomatic achievement.
India’s response to Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, targeted nine militant camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, with Indian Air Force strikes killing 47 operatives, according to the Indian Ministry of Defence. The operation, coupled with India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, signalled a hardline stance, escalating tensions. Pakistan’s military repositioning along the Line of Control and market instability, with the Karachi Stock Exchange dropping 8% on May 8, reflected the pressure. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s attempt to dilute a UNSC condemnation by removing TRF’s name failed, with only China supporting a neutral probe, constrained by its own U.S. trade disputes.
Trump’s June 18, 2025, meeting with Munir, days after hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparked outrage in India. Trump’s description of the lunch as an “honour” and his claim of preventing an India-Pakistan war contrasted with Indian sentiments, with Congress leader Jairam Ramesh calling it a betrayal of India’s counterterrorism fight. Social media platforms were used by many to criticise Trump’s neutrality, citing Munir’s rhetoric as evidence of Pakistan’s duplicity. Yet, Trump’s broader policy shows alignment with India: the U.S. cut $1.3 billion in Pakistan’s security aid in 2018, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s X post on April 23, 2025, condemned the Pahalgam attack as targeting Hindus, supporting India’s right to retaliate. However, Trump’s pursuit of trade deals with Pakistan, driven by its $8 trillion mineral reserves and its role against Iran and ISIS-Khorasan, as discussed at a U.S.-Pakistan minerals forum in April 2025, suggests a pragmatic approach prioritising U.S. interests.
Still, Trump’s ambivalence—condemning terrorism while engaging Pakistan—raises doubts about his reliability. For India, the TRF designation and U.S. support from figures like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth bolster its position, but Trump’s refusal to endorse India’s military actions, as seen in Vance’s call for restraint, signals caution. For Pakistan, the sanctions undermine its narrative of the TRF as a Kashmiri resistance group, but Trump’s economic overtures offer a lifeline.
The designation is a clear win for India, amplifying its global advocacy and isolating LeT’s proxies. For Pakistan, it’s a strategic blow, exposing its limited influence, though its proxy resilience, as noted by the Carnegie Endowment in 2020, may mitigate long-term impacts.
Trump’s balancing act prioritises U.S. strategic goals—countering China, securing resources—over consistent alignment with either nation. His mediation offers on Kashmir, rejected by India, and his engagement with Munir despite Pakistan’s terrorism record suggest a transactional approach.
– global bihari bureau
