TRF deserves designation as foreign terrorist organisation: US House Foreign Affairs Committee

Washington : The U.S. decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) — which claimed responsibility for the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack — as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist marks a significant development in the global fight against terrorism. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has welcomed the move as “a timely and important step,” acknowledging it as recognition of the severity of the Pahalgam attack.

Importantly, the U.S. designation explicitly identifies TRF as a “front and proxy” for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a group Pakistan claims to have dismantled. While LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad have been on the U.S. FTO list since 2001, both have continued to orchestrate attacks in India. The U.S. move also partly addresses its earlier omission of TRF from the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution condemning the Pahalgam attack — a decision reportedly influenced by Pakistan and supported by other P-5 members, including the U.S.

This designation may now strengthen India’s push to have TRF sanctioned by the UNSC’s 1267 Committee, bolstering international legal efforts to hold the perpetrators accountable.

However, the broader U.S. response under the Trump administration warrants scrutiny. Since India launched Operation Sindoor in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, Washington has frequently contradicted New Delhi’s account of the four-day conflict. President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have claimed that the U.S. negotiated the India-Pakistan ceasefire and prevented a potential nuclear crisis — a narrative Pakistan has readily embraced.

Adding to the mixed signals, President Trump hosted Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, at the White House shortly after India claimed to have clarified matters with the U.S. leadership. This raises concerns about how firmly the U.S. is willing to press Pakistan on its support for terror groups.

The Trump administration had earlier shown intent to support India by fast-tracking the extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana, accused in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. It is now hoped that the TRF’s designation signals renewed U.S. commitment to that promise.

Ultimately, India must remain focused on both diplomatic and legal measures to ensure accountability and prevent further attacks. The real challenge lies in dismantling the infrastructure of terror and ending cross-border support from Pakistan.