New Delhi: Tulsi Gabbard, the United States Director of National Intelligence, described the Pahalgam attack Friday as a “horrific Islamist terrorist attack, targeting and killing 26 Hindus” while offering US support to India in its hunt for the perpetrators.
Gabbard is likely one of the first senior American officials to describe the attack as targeting Hindus in particular.
“We stand in solidarity with India in the wake of the horrific Islamist terrorist attack, targeting and killing 26 Hindus in Pahalgam. My prayers and deepest sympathies are with those who lost a loved one, PM @narendramodi and with all the people of India. We are with you and support you as you hunt down those responsible for this heinous attack,” said Tulsi Gabbard in a post on the social media platform X.
Her comments reinforce the ironclad support that New Delhi has received so far from the Donald J. Trump administration in Washington after the Kashmir terror attack.
On 22 April, four gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles sprayed bullets at tourists in Pahalgam, killing at least 25 Indians and one foreign national.
The attack occurred while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in the Saudi city of Jeddah for a visit. US President Trump called the Indian Prime Minister and offered “full” support to “bring justice to the perpetrators” before Modi took off from Jeddah.
Trump was one of the first leaders to speak with Modi after the news first broke Tuesday evening of the terrorist attack. Since then, India has received support from most of the world’s major economies, with most of the G7 (Group of Seven) economies condemning the attack, while several leaders from the G20 have conveyed their condolences.
On Wednesday, India announced cross-border linkages behind the terrorist attack and a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, expelling Pakistan’s three defence advisers along with annulling the posts, reducing the strength of Islamabad’s high commission in New Delhi from 55 to 30, and revoking visas for Pakistani nationals.
Late Thursday evening, India officially notified Pakistan of holding the Indus Waters Treaty in “abeyance” with immediate effect. Pakistan’s National Security Committee has also come up with several measures against India.
Islamabad announced that it “shall exercise” the right to hold all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, in abeyance, reduced the strength of India’s High Commission in Pakistan, asked for Indians to leave the country and declared that any curtailment of the flow of water from the Indus river and its tributaries would be considered an “act of war.”
As the situation remains tense, the US, at various levels, has made clear its support for India in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday, “The US stands with India.” Similarly, Vice President J.D. Vance, the House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority chair, and several senior officials in Washington, D.C., have voiced support for New Delhi.
The support for India from the US has largely been bipartisan, and the Republican Party-led White House has been the loudest in condemning the attack.
Gabbard, visiting India last month, addressed the Raisina Dialogue, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs with the Observer Research Foundation. She met with Modi and several senior Indian officials. The Indian Prime Minister also met Gabbard during his visit to Washington in February.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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