Top US official: Many terror plots foiled due to cooperation with India

HAILING COUNTER-TERRORISM cooperation between India and the US under the eight years of Obama administration as “incredibly successful”, a top US official has said this has not only “diminished the threat” of terrorism in the two countries, but also “foiled” a number of terror plots that saved several Indian and American lives.

“I can tell you quite definitively that due to our partnerships, several terrorism plots were foiled. Indian lives and American lives were saved because of this partnership,” said Peter Lavoy, Senior Director for Southasianaffairsatthenational Security Council, White House.

“So it’s a very significant development and I think, it can continue,” Lavoy told PTI. He, however, did not elaborate on the terror plots that were foiled.

He said that under the Obama administration, which took over the reins of the country a few months after 26/11, counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries have reached a newheightinthelasteightyears.

“I think, the partnership with India, in combating terrorism has really been incredibly successful,” he said, adding that the two countries now have dialogues on counter-terrorism at multiple levels.

On India not becoming a member of Nuclear Suppliers Group under the watch of US President Barack Obama, Lavoy expressed hope that it would be granted membership of the elite group “not before too long” as work is in progress.

“So, are we disappointed that India has not become a member (of NSG) so far? Yes, probably. But we also recognise that the NSG has to work through the procedures and its own other standings on how to consider non-npt (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) membership into the NSG. So, that’s not a trivial issue. But we would hope that India would be granted membership not before too long,” he said, answering a question on India being unable to become a member of NSG, mainly due to the opposition from China.

Lavoy said the US remains concerned about al-qaeda, though the outfit’s activities in the Af-pak region have been significantly disrupted because of continuous efforts. “We (also) remain concerned about ISIL. This is something that President Obama has talked about in his State of the Union and other addresses on the threat both of these groups pose to the United States. And we will continue to take steps to counter them,” he said.

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