New Delhi:
Urging US Congressional colleagues to support New Delhi in its fight against terror, an American lawmaker on Thursday said Islamic insurgents are a constant threat, spreading terror throughout Jammu and Kashmir. “India faces many regional and geopolitical threats. Islamic insurgents are a constant threat, spreading terror throughout Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India. We should support the government in Delhi in the continued fight against terror,” Congressman Francis Rooney said.
The Republican Congressman from Florida said he had a meeting with India’s ambassador to the United States, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, recently to discuss the critical issues facing India and the importance of the bilateral relationship between India and the US.
"We must continue to work towards strengthening our trade relationship with India, increasing bilateral foreign direct investment, and consider the negotiation of a free trade agreement," he said.
Noting that India and the United States share the same values, he said that "going forward, our relationship with India will only grow in importance."
Earlier, Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies had told lawmakers during a Congressional hearing Pakistan continues to sponsor terrorist groups that launched deadly attacks in India. Referring to Pakistan’s “unwavering support” to Taliban, much to the detriment of the US in Afghanistan, Roggio also disapproved the US move to withdraw troops from there.
“Its support for the Taliban has been unwavering and is leading us to defeat in Afghanistan. I would argue that we have already lost Afghanistan. We are merely attempting to negotiate as team per the terms of our exit,” he told the members of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa and International Terrorism.
The United States disengaging itself from the battle fronts would lead to an easy victory of its enemies, he cautioned.
