India Seeks UN Sanctions on LeT Proxy TRF After Pahalgam Attack
| 2025-05-15
Secretary-General of the United Nations and Prime Minister of India
India urges UN to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF), as a global terrorist entity following deadly Pahalgam attack.
India has renewed its push at the United Nations to designate The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), as a global terrorist entity, following a deadly attack in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.
A high-level Indian delegation met with senior officials at the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) in New York on Wednesday, in what sources described as a concerted diplomatic effort to advance the listing proposal.
Meeting with UN Officials
According to officials familiar with the matter, the Indian team held discussions with the 1267 Sanctions Committee's Monitoring Team and representatives from partner countries. They were also received by United Nations Under-Secretary-General Vladimir Voronkov and Assistant Secretary-General Natalia Gherman, who lead UNOCT and CTED respectively.
“The discussions with the Indian delegation focused on ongoing collaboration with CTED and UNOCT within their respective mandates,” a readout from the UN stated. It highlighted joint work on implementing UN Security Council resolutions and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
The UN officials extended condolences over the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people and for which TRF has reportedly claimed responsibility.
India Targets TRF at the UN
The Resistance Front is believed to operate as a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, an internationally designated terrorist organisation. Indian authorities allege that TRF was directly involved in the Pahalgam attack.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri recently stated that TRF had claimed responsibility for the attack and was functioning as a proxy for Pakistan-based groups, including LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Misri noted that India had submitted intelligence on TRF’s operations to the 1267 Monitoring Team during previous reporting cycles in May and November 2024.
However, while the UN Security Council issued a statement condemning the Pahalgam attack “in the strongest terms” on 25 April, it did not name TRF. Indian officials have attributed this omission to lobbying efforts by Pakistan, a current non-permanent member of the Council, which is set to preside over it in July.
Roadblocks in the Sanctions Process
Efforts to designate TRF under the 1267 Sanctions Committee face procedural challenges. All 15 members of the Security Council must reach consensus for a listing to proceed.
In the past, China—a permanent member of the Council and a close ally of Pakistan—has placed technical holds on several Indian proposals targeting Pakistan-based groups or individuals. These holds can delay or block sanctions proposals.
Entities listed under the 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee face a travel ban, asset freeze, and arms embargo.
Broader Counter-Terrorism Cooperation
India has also contributed to UN-led capacity-building initiatives, including programmes on cybersecurity, terrorist travel, victim support, and financing of terrorism.
At the meeting, both sides discussed the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, including unmanned aerial vehicles and financial innovations such as cryptocurrencies. These discussions build on the 2022 Delhi Declaration adopted under India’s chairmanship of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee.
Background on UN Counter-Terrorism Structures
The UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was established in 2017 to enhance coordination of global counter-terror efforts and assist member states with capacity building.
The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) was created in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks and supports the Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee in monitoring implementation of related resolutions.
A Region in Crisis
The 22 April attack in Pahalgam and subsequent Indian military operations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir—dubbed Operation Sindoor—have heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
India has long accused Pakistan of harbouring and supporting militant groups targeting its territory, a charge Pakistan denies. The international community has repeatedly urged restraint from both sides, even as calls grow to increase global scrutiny of groups like TRF.
By renewing its efforts at the UN, India is attempting to build momentum for multilateral action against what it describes as “cross-border terrorism.”
Whether these efforts succeed may depend on overcoming geopolitical resistance within the Security Council, particularly from permanent members with competing strategic interests.
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