US blacklists Lashkar proxy TRF after Pahalgam massacre; India hails strong message on terror

In a sweeping crackdown on cross-border terror, the United States has formally designated The Resistance Front (TRF)—the Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy behind the deadly April 22 Pahalgam attack—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).

The attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives, was the deadliest on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai carnage. Friday’s announcement by the US State Department marks a high-stakes escalation in Indo-US counter-terrorism cooperation.

India hailed the move as a “timely and important step,” with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar calling it a “strong affirmation of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation.”

“Zero tolerance for terrorism,” Jaishankar posted on X, thanking US Senator Marco Rubio and the State Department for the designation.

Under US law, the FTO status criminalizes all support — financial, logistical, or advisory — to the group and enables tougher sanctions against those involved.

In its official statement, the US administration said TRF “claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians,” adding that it was the deadliest civilian attack in India since 26/11. It also noted TRF’s repeated assaults on Indian security forces over the past year.

The State Department added the action was aligned with President Donald Trump's firm call for justice in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Trump had been the first foreign leader to call Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the carnage, which occurred while US Vice-President J.D. Vance was visiting India.

The US also confirmed that TRF and its aliases have been appended to LeT’s existing FTO and SDGT listings under Section 219 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. Amendments to these listings will be published in the Federal Register, bringing them into immediate effect.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the step, reiterating New Delhi’s commitment to a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. The MEA said it would continue pressing for international action to dismantle terror networks and hold their backers accountable.

The move also follows India’s sustained push at the United Nations Security Council to blacklist TRF — efforts repeatedly blocked by Pakistan.

“This designation is not just symbolic — it’s a strategic move that will cut off oxygen to TRF’s operations and financing,” said a senior Indian security official. “It reflects growing alignment between India and the US in naming and acting against state-sponsored terrorism.”