India has given a clear message to the US that instead of backing Pakistan’s efforts to get IMF loan disbursal early, the Biden administration needs to mount more pressure on Islamabad to take strong action against terror outfits operating from territories under its control. Delhi has also apprised Washington of its displeasure over its silence on growing terror activities of Pakistan based terror entity Jaish-e-Mohammed in Jammu and Kashmir.
While discussing terrorism and IMF related issues during talks with US Deputy Secretary of Treasury, Wally Adeyemo recently, Indian officials and diplomats apprised the Biden
administration’s official of these views of Delhi, sources told The Daily Guardian. Apart from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Adeyemo also called on Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra. “In addition to the Ukraine situation and global economy, terror and IMF-related issues were discussed during the meeting,” sources said.
“What India is annoyed at is that US continues to be supportive of Pakistan’s campaign to achieve early loan disbursement from IMF, regardless of the fact that Islamabad is hardly taking any action against terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad,” officials told TDG. “The silence of the Biden administration over growing JeM’s terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir is quite disappointing for India as well,” sources said. “The US should use Pakistan’s desperation to get an IMF loan to make it act against the terrorist entities active from its territories. But the same is not happening to the utter disappointment of Delhi,” diplomats said. “Therefore, a clear message was given to the visiting US official Adeyemo on this,” sources said. “The Biden administration should be lobbying for more pressure on Pakistan, which is what is expected from the US,” officials said.
“On the contrary, Washington is trying to extend help to Pakistan in getting an IMF loan which is worrying, officials pointed out. What India is also unhappy with is that there has been no terse statement from the US against China after it again blocked blacklisting of a terrorist, Abdul Rauf Asghar in the UN, citing technicalities. “A strong statement from the US should have come against this move by China in connivance with Pakistan,” officials say. Sources said that India has apprised Washington of these views during key meetings with the US official who was in Delhi last week to discuss several issues from Ukraine, global economy, Indo-Pacific, terror to coordination at IMF. Adeyemo met with Sitharaman, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, PK Mishra, Ministry of Finance Secretary Ajay Seth, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra.