US ‘mainstreaming’ terrorist groups – former Indian UN envoy
India is not satisfied with the way the US is handling terrorism and feels that Washington is “mainstreaming terrorist groups” that target the South Asian nation, New Delhi’s former permanent representative to the United Nations, Asoke Kumar Mukerji, told RT on Sunday.
Speaking on the latest episode of ‘World’s Apart’, Mukerji said Washington’s handling of terrorism, trade, and energy security could undermine the foundations of the India-US partnership.
He added that New Delhi and Washington need to look at which “common values” bind them into a “natural alliance” that is touted by both countries.
“And this is visible on the ground in the way that terrorism, for example, which is one of the biggest challenges faced by India, and it continues to be a target of terrorism, is being dealt with by the United States,” Mukerji said. “I mean, they are mainstreaming terrorist groups.”
Referring to the April terror attack in Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, Mukerji said the Americans “do not seem to consider the importance for taking action against terrorism that is being proposed by India insistently.”
The former diplomat, who is a Distinguished Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation, added, “These terrorists came from our neighboring country, Pakistan, and yet the US is happily welcoming the military leader of Pakistan who is committed publicly to supporting these terrorist groups.”
Pakistan’s army chief and prime minister were hosted at the Oval Office on Thursday by US President Donald Trump.
Mukerji said US pressure on Indian imports of Russian oil impinged on its sovereignty. Last month, Trump slapped a 25% penal levy on New Delhi for its continued imports of Russian oil, pushing total tariffs on most Indian imports to 50%.
”India does not like to be told what to do,” he said. “Like the US, when it became free from British colonial rule, did not like being told what the British wanted them to do… we would like to exercise our strategic autonomy to buy energy from suppliers who are predictable, reliable, and from whom we can get the energy without conditions.”
