Need To Keep Up Pressure On Pakistan To Crackdown On Terror: India Told US In Talks

Government sources said the threat of cross-border terrorism and the proposed peace deal between the US and the Taliban figured prominently during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

PM Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump ahead of their joint press statement, at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: India has conveyed to the US that pressure on Pakistan to crack down on terror networks operating from its soil must be kept up though Islamabad's cooperation to reach a peace deal with Taliban in Afghanistan is crucial. Government sources said the threat of cross-border terrorism and the proposed peace deal between the US and the Taliban figured prominently during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's talks with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday. The Indian side conveyed to the US that the draw-down of the US troops shouldn't precipitate in acts of terror and the US should keep in mind that the gains of the past 19 years in terms of the Constitution, rights of women and minorities must not be lost. After long-held negotiations, the US and Taliban are set to sign a peace deal on Saturday allowing for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. The US is of the view that Pakistan's cooperation was important for ending the decades-long war in Afghanistan and bring peace and stability to it. "We understand that the US needs Pakistan's support in Afghanistan. At the same time, India thinks the US need to continue to put pressure on Pakistan on terror," a source said. According to the sources, India clearly conveyed to the US that pressure on Pakistan to effectively contain terror groups must continue. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US envoy leading efforts to forge a deal with the Taliban, spent about a year meeting various stakeholders in Doha in a series of talks to end America's war in Afghanistan. A joint statement issued after Modi-Trump talks said the two leaders asked Pakistan to ensure that no territory under its control is used to launch terror attacks and strongly condemned cross-border terrorism in all its forms. Sources said the prime minister also shared with Trump the development roadmap envisaged by India for Jammu and Kashmir, listing ensuring economic prosperity for the region as priority area.