In a significant diplomatic win for India, US President Donald Trump agreed to extradite 26/11 terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana to face justice in India. Announcing the decision alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Trump declared, “My administration has approved the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, one of the very evil people of the world, to face justice in India.”
Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, has been held at a detention center in Los Angeles. His extradition marks a major step in India’s ongoing efforts to bring those responsible for the deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks to justice.
The extradition announcement was part of a broader joint statement by Modi and Trump that strongly condemned cross-border terrorism. The statement explicitly urged Pakistan to ensure its territory is not used for launching terror attacks. The two leaders also called for Pakistan to “expeditiously bring to justice” the masterminds of the 26/11 attacks, which killed over 165 people.
Pakistan’s Response: “One-Sided and Misleading”
Islamabad reacted sharply to the joint statement, with Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan expressing “disappointment” over what he described as “one-sided, misleading, and contrary to diplomatic norms.”
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Khan asserted that Pakistan had made sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and was “surprised” by the statement’s omission of its counter-terrorism efforts.
Trump Suspends USD 845 Million in Pakistan Aid
Adding to Pakistan’s concerns, Trump also announced the suspension of USD 845 million in funding for Pakistani projects, signaling continued US scrutiny of Pakistan’s approach to counterterrorism.
In their statement, Modi and Trump identified terror groups such as al-Qaida, Islamic State, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Taiba as major threats. They pledged to intensify cooperation against terrorism to prevent “heinous acts” like the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan, which killed 13 US Army personnel and 170 Afghan civilians.
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Additionally, the US and India committed to working together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and to deny terrorists access to such capabilities.
Strengthening India-US Counterterrorism Cooperation
PM Modi underscored the necessity for “concerted action” to “eradicate cross-border terrorism,” emphasizing that India and the US will work closely to enhance intelligence-sharing, counterterrorism operations, and security measures to eliminate terrorist safe havens worldwide.
The Modi-Trump joint declaration marks a pivotal moment in India-US counterterrorism collaboration, setting a strong precedent for future strategic cooperation. As India celebrates this diplomatic victory, the world watches to see how Pakistan responds to growing international pressure to take decisive action against terrorism.
