'Justice For Pahalgam Attack': Major Victory For India As US Puts TRF On 'Designated Terror' List

Last Updated:July 18, 2025, 08:53 IST

The Department of State has added The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)

Visuals of exact moment when the Pahalgam terror attack happened in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. (Images: News18)

The US Department of State on Friday officially designated The Resistance Front (TRF), a group that had claimed responsibility for the horrific April 22 Pahalgam massacre, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). This significant move marks a major victory for India’s persistent global outreach efforts against terrorism.

“Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT)," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump’s call for justice for the Pahalgam attack."

India’s diplomatic push to secure this designation involved a multi-pronged strategy. Foreign secretary Vikram Misri undertook a critical visit to the US, engaging with American counterparts. Concurrently, a multi-party delegation, led by prominent Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor, was dispatched for dedicated outreach, highlighting the cross-party consensus in India on this issue. External affairs minister S Jaishankar also visited the US for a Quad Summit, where he held crucial bilateral talks with Secretary Marco Rubio, further pressing India’s case. Crucially, India had briefed the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on TRF’s direct involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack, building international pressure. This was not India’s first attempt; before the Pahalgam tragedy, New Delhi had twice tried to sanction TRF, underscoring its long-standing efforts to counter the group.

The designation as an FTO carries significant legal ramifications. It leads to stringent financial sanctions, prohibiting US persons and entities from providing any material support to TRF. Furthermore, it imposes severe immigration restrictions, potentially denying entry into the United States for members and supporters of the organisation. Other penalties include restrictions on defence exports and sales, alongside strict controls over exports of dual-use items that could be diverted for terrorist activities.

Concurrently, the SDGT designation primarily results in the blocking of assets. This means that any assets belonging to TRF, its operatives, or associated entities that are in the possession or control of US persons or fall within US jurisdiction will be immediately blocked and cannot be accessed or utilised. These combined designations will significantly bolster India’s ongoing case against Pakistan in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), given the continuous evidence of cross-border terrorism.

TRF now joins a list of other notorious terror groups, including Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Jihad Union, underscoring the severity with which the international community views its operations.

News world Pahalgam Attack: Major Victory For India's Efforts As US Puts TRF On 'Designated Terror' List