Zero tolerance on terror: Jaishankar thanks US for Tahawwur Rana extradition

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday thanked the US administration for extraditing 26/11 Mumbai attacks accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana. Speaking as chief guest at the Freedom 250 reception hosted by US Ambassador Sergio Gor in Mumbai, Jaishankar also thanked US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for laying a wreath at the Taj Hotel’s 26/11 memorial earlier in the day.

“India also welcomes this administration's decision to extradite Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was one of the key culprits,” he said. He asserted India’s right to defend itself against terrorism and said it expected its partners to show zero tolerance towards terrorism. Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian businessman accused of providing logistical support for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was extradited from the United States to India in April 2025. 'COMMON INTERESTS IN A CHANGING WORLD' Jaishankar said a changing world order required India and the US to widen their common ground while pursuing their national interests.

“Each one of us will naturally pursue our national interests. In such an era, expanding our convergence is key to deepening our ties,” he said. He pointed to opportunities in trade, investment, technology and energy, alongside a shared interest in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Regular engagement would help both countries identify common interests and deepen ties, the External Affairs Minister added. THE PUSH FOR EARLY TRADE DEAL Earlier, Jaishankar and Rubio reviewed bilateral ties in Mumbai, with talks covering trade, defence, technology and energy security, according to an official statement.

Both sides welcomed progress in negotiations on the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement and committed to working towards its early conclusion. They also discussed regional and global developments. “We reaffirmed the importance of advancing the US-India strategic partnership,” Rubio said after the meeting, adding that energy security and defence cooperation were discussed.

Rubio arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon and is scheduled to travel to Jamnagar in Gujarat on Wednesday morning. This is his second India visit, following a trip to New Delhi in May. - Ends