US Declares The Resistance Front a Foreign Terrorist Organization; India Welcomes Move as Strong Signal Against Terrorism
In a significant development aimed at strengthening global counter-terrorism efforts, the United States on Friday officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF, a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which resulted in the loss of lives and drew widespread condemnation.
The U.S. State Department’s designation underscores Washington’s commitment to targeting terror outfits that threaten regional and global peace, particularly those operating under the guise of local insurgencies but backed by internationally sanctioned groups like LeT. The move allows the U.S. government to block TRF’s assets, prohibit financial transactions with the group, and impose penalties on individuals or entities supporting its operations.
India strongly welcomed the decision, with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar calling it a “strong affirmation” of India-U.S. counter-terrorism cooperation. In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Jaishankar said:
“Appreciate @SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF—a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for Terrorism. #OpSindoor.”
The Resistance Front has emerged in recent years as a front organization to mask LeT’s activities and avoid international scrutiny. Security agencies believe that TRF was formed to give Pakistan-based terror operations a local Kashmiri identity, thereby attempting to deflect attention from Islamabad’s involvement.
The designation is expected to further bolster India’s global campaign to expose and isolate Pakistan’s terror networks and to ensure accountability for cross-border terrorism. It also sends a clear signal that the international community is prepared to act decisively against groups using proxies and deceptive labels to carry out terrorist acts.
The move is being hailed in India as a step in the right direction toward dismantling terror infrastructure and upholding a shared commitment to peace and security in the region.
