India’s effort to pursue foreign countries by sending delegations after the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor to gather support for its counter-terror narrative has had little impact, as Pakistan has been appointed vice-chair of the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee and chair of the Taliban Sanctions Committee, while India remains silent.
The Indian government has dispatched all-party delegations to 33 countries to gather support for its counter-terror narrative, though these efforts appear to have had limited influence over the committee appointments
Despite India's longstanding stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and its growing international messaging efforts, the appointments went ahead without opposition from any UNSC member states, according to The Wire.
These developments come just weeks after India carried out precision strikes on nine locations in Pakistan, which it claimed were terror infrastructure hubs, in retaliation for a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. A second wave of strikes reportedly targeted Pakistani air defence systems, further escalating regional tensions.
While the Indian prime minister reiterated that dialogue with Pakistan cannot proceed alongside terrorism, the appointment of Pakistan to these crucial UNSC roles has stirred political debate at home.
Pakistan’s leadership in both the Counter-Terrorism Committee and the Taliban Sanctions Committee comes through the annual rotational system among UNSC members. The committees are tasked with oversight of global counter-terror policy and implementation of sanctions related to the Taliban.
Critics within India have linked the appointments with recent international financial assistance to Pakistan, highlighting the IMF’s $1 billion aid on May 9, the World Bank’s clearance of $40 billion, and the Asian Development Bank’s $800 million funding on June 3.
Reports also indicate that a senior aide to the Russian president credited former US president Donald Trump with playing a role in preventing further conflict between India and Pakistan during recent diplomatic exchanges.