Want attackers brought to justice, India tells US

Terror fallout widens

- Rahul Singh and Rezaul H Laskar

The Pahalgam terror attack exposed Pakistan as a rogue state destabilizing the region, and the world can no longer turn a blind eye to terrorism, India told the US on Thursday as the world's two largest democracies engaged at the highest levels over the strike that killed 26 people.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to his US counterpart Pete Hegseth over the phone on Thursday, hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Rubio also spoke to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The call from Hegseth was made to convey his condolences for the tragic loss of lives, and to reiterate the US government's full support to India in its fight against terrorism, the defence ministry said. He told Singh that the US stands in solidarity with India and supports its right to defend itself.

"Pakistan has been exposed as a rogue state, fuelling global terrorism, and destabilising the region," the ministry quoted Singh as telling Hegseth in a statement. In a post on X on Thursday, Hegseth said: "I offered my strong support. We stand with India and its great people."

In his call late Wednesday, Rubio expressed sorrow at the loss of lives in the "horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam" and reaffirmed the US's "commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism", US state department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a readout.

Rubio also "encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia", she said.

"Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US @SecRubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice," Jaishankar said on X on Thursday morning.