Amid Sydney Attack, India and the US Unite at the UN Against ‘Terroristan’ Pakistan — Call for Sanctions on Global Jihadist Groups

In a significant diplomatic development amid rising global concerns over terrorism, India and the United States have come together at the United Nations to push for stronger international action against Pakistan-based terror networks. The joint move follows a series of high-profile terror attacks, including the recent massacre in Sydney and earlier strikes in India’s Pahalgam region.

The Donald Trump administration, aligning closely with New Delhi, has urged the United Nations to impose fresh sanctions under the UN Security Council’s 1267 sanctions regime against major jihadist organisations operating from Pakistan. The proposed action targets the Islamic State (IS) group, Al-Qaeda affiliates, and Pakistan-origin terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), along with their proxy networks.

Although Pakistan officially banned LeT and JeM in 2002, both organisations continue to function from its soil and are accused of orchestrating repeated terror attacks against India and other targets abroad. The proposed sanctions include global asset freezes, travel bans, and arms embargoes, underscoring a renewed resolve by India and the US to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation.

In a joint statement, representatives of both countries—Monica Jacobson of the US State Department and India’s Joint Secretary Vinod Bahade—emphasised enhanced collaboration in areas such as counter-terror training, cyber security, judicial cooperation, legal assistance, and intelligence sharing. The two sides strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pahalgam and near Delhi’s Red Fort, calling for swift accountability for those responsible.

Pakistan Named by Inference, Not Explicitly

Notably, while the joint initiative clearly targets terror groups operating from Pakistan, the country itself was not explicitly named in the statement. Analysts believe this reflects Washington’s attempt to maintain a strategic balance in South Asia.

Washington-based geopolitical expert Shuja Nawaz told Dawn that the US may have deliberately avoided naming Pakistan. “The United States has designated India as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific. At the same time, it appears to be cautious about openly confronting Pakistan. The question is how long this dual policy can last,” he said.

Both Indian and American officials, however, welcomed the US designation of The Resistance Front (TRF)—which India holds responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF is widely seen as a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Strategic Balancing Under Strain

According to Dawn, the US is attempting to walk a tightrope between India and Pakistan. A recent Foreign Policy article titled “Trump’s Tilt Towards Pakistan” suggested that US–Pakistan relations have shown signs of warming since mid-2025. However, Pakistani commentators themselves have questioned how sustainable this balance will be.

With several high-level India–US meetings scheduled in the coming months, a trade deal nearing finalisation, and the next meeting of the India–US Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism (JWGCT) on the horizon, experts believe Washington’s approach toward Pakistan could face increasing pressure.

As global scrutiny of Pakistan-linked jihadist networks intensifies in the wake of attacks from South Asia to Australia, the India–US alignment at the UN marks a strong signal: tolerance for terrorism and its sponsors is steadily eroding, and the demand for international accountability is growing louder.

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