The United States has said it will not involve itself in the matter of India’s alleged operations to eliminate terrorists in other countries, but urged India and Pakistan to resolve their issues via dialogue and avoid escalation.
The United States has urged India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and resolve their issues through diplomatic dialogue amid claims of alleged anti-terror operations being carried out by New Delhi in other countries, including Pakistan.
Asked about recent statements Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on crossing borders to kill terrorists, the Biden administration said the US would not involve itself in the matter but “encouraged India and Pakistan to avoid any escalation and find a resolution through dialogue”.
#WATCH | When asked about the US reaction to PM Modi’s statement ‘will kill terrorists by entering their home’, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller says, ” …US is not going to get into the middle of this, but we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid… pic.twitter.com/kfJ5QaHudN
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2024
US won’t involve itself
Addressing a media briefing Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, while responding to questions about India’s alleged operations to eliminate terrorists in other countries, said the US will not involve itself in the matter.
Asked if the comments by PM Modi and Rajnath Singh can be viewed as “confessions” on the alleged “assassination of (Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh) Nijjar in Canada, (designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh) Pannu’s murder-for-hire plot in New York, and recent killings in Pakistan” Miller said: “The United States is not going to get into the middle of this, but we do encourage both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue,”
#WATCH | When asked why US has not imposed any sanctions on India over alleged assassination plot of Khalistani Terrorist Pannun, US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller says, ” I am not going to preview any sanction actions which is not to say that there are any coming,… pic.twitter.com/xHY3H69GlE
— ANI (@ANI) April 16, 2024
Quizzed about why the US has not considered sanctions on India over the matter, Miller said, “I am never going to preview any sanctions actions, which is not to say that there are any coming. But when you ask me to talk about sanctions, it’s something that we don’t discuss openly.”
India’s cross-border anti-terror ops
Earlier this month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, referring to New Delhi’s assertive approach to dealing with cross-border terrorism, had said if terrorists try to disturb peace in India or carry out terror activities, a befitting response will be given, and if they run away to Pakistan, India will enter the neighbouring country to kill them.
The defence minister was responding to a question on a report by British newspaper ‘The Guardian’ that claimed Indian intelligence agencies carried out assassinations of terrorists in Pakistan as part of an emboldened approach to national security after 2019.
PM Narendra Modi has also made similar comments in the context of stern action against cross-border terrorism.
(With PTI inputs)
