External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has welcomed the United States’ decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). Calling it a “strong affirmation” of India-US counter-terrorism cooperation, Jaishankar thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department for the move.

In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote: “Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF—a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist. It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for terrorism. #OpSindoor.”

Secretary Rubio announced the designation on Thursday, emphasizing the Trump administration’s resolve to combat global terrorism and respond to violent extremist threats. “This action demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack,” he said.

TRF, a Pakistan-based LeT front, had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, where 26 civilians—25 of them tourists, including one from Nepal—were killed after being targeted based on their religion. A local pony handler was also among the victims.

Rubio described the attack as the deadliest on Indian civilians since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The designation is expected to block TRF’s access to global financial systems and increase international scrutiny of its operatives, further pressuring Pakistan-based terror networks.

The US action aligns with India’s long-standing calls for global recognition of TRF’s role in cross-border terrorism and follows a strong UN Security Council condemnation of the Pahalgam massacre, demanding accountability for the perpetrators and their sponsors.