Indo-U.S. equation would be of grave concern for Pak, China: Defence Expert

Defence Expert P.K. Sehgal on Wednesday said the equation between India and the United States on the issue of terrorism would be of grave concern for both Pakistan and China.

Sehgal told ANI that the equations and relations between New Delhi and Washington are being strengthened beyond expectations.

"Obama had declared that the relation between India and America would be the most amazing in the 21st century.it is turning out to be true. It would be of grave concern both to Pakistan and to China because the writing on the wall is very clear. Those who now intend to misread it. they would be misreading it at their own peril," he added.

Sehgal said the talks between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj went off exceptionally well.

"All concerns of India have been conveyed to the Americans by Sushma Swaraj in terms of good terrorism, bad terrorism, sanctuaries, safe havens, D Company, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Pathankot as well as Haqqani network etc. America in totality backed India's concerns and unequivocally supported us. In addition, there were discussions on cyber security, intelligence sharing. Both countries said we will fight terrorism co-jointly," he added.

Asserting that the message to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the country's Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has been conveyed in absolute clear, concise and precise terms, Sehgal said there was no way Islamabad can continue to ignore it.

The United States and India has agreed to boost counter-terrorism cooperation by expanding intelligence sharing about known or suspected extremists and terrorist threats.

Speaking after conclusion of the second US-India strategic dialogue in New Delhi with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said both countries have renewed their commitment to track down and prosecute perpetrators of several terrorist attacks on Indian soil, including the 2008 strike in Mumbai and a January 2016 attack on the Pathankot Air Force base. India has blamed Pakistan-linked groups for the attacks.

Swaraj said both sides had agreed on the "urgent necessity for Pakistan to disable safe havens and terrorist networks" and "on the need to Pakistan to do more to bring the perpetrators of (the two attacks) to justice quickly."

"We reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminals networks, including LeT, JeM and the D-Company," she said.

On his part, Kerry said, "U.S. continues to support all efforts to bring the perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks to justice."

Echoing the Indian foreign minister's remark, Kerry also said that US can't and won't make distinction between good and bad terrorists.

"U.S. stands with India on all matters of terrorism, no matter where it comes from; it's crystal clear we are on the same view over it", he said.

But he did say he had spoken recently with Pakistani officials about "the need for Pakistan to deprive any (terrorist) group of sanctuary." He specifically named the Haqqani network that operates in Afghanistan as well as Lashkar-e-Taiba, which has been blamed for attacks in India.

"It is vital that Pakistan join with other nations in tackling this challenge, and in fairness, in recent weeks and months they have been moving more authoritatively," Kerry said.

The counter terror cooperation will include an expansion of the exchange of screening information and expediting the processing of requests from both nations for information about potential suspects, the ministers said.