New Delhi, May 5 — In a mounting diplomatic campaign following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India has urged Italy and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to cut financial assistance to Pakistan. The move signals New Delhi’s escalating pressure on Islamabad amid deteriorating bilateral ties.
The appeal was made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during a meeting with Italian Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti on the sidelines of the 58th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the ADB, currently underway in Milan, Italy.
Sources confirmed to ANI that Sitharaman directly raised the issue of Italy’s development cooperation with Pakistan and called for an immediate freeze in funding.
“Some of Italy’s major initiatives and contributions are in Pakistan,” reads the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) website, noting that the Italian Development Cooperation is a key partner in the region. India’s objection is rooted in this ongoing financial linkage, which it sees as indirectly supporting a country accused of sheltering terror actors.
In a separate interaction with ADB officials, India also requested the regional bank to halt its development financing to Pakistan. These requests are part of a broader strategic push, following what Indian officials describe as Islamabad’s continued tolerance and support for terror groups.
India’s diplomatic offensive comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead and several injured, mostly tourists. In response, New Delhi has taken a series of punitive steps. Among them is the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a move that will significantly diminish Pakistan’s water supply over time.
Additionally, India is preparing to approach the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), urging the global watchdog to reclassify Pakistan into its “grey list” of countries under increased monitoring for terror financing.
Sitharaman is leading the Indian delegation at the ADB annual meeting, held from May 4 to 7, which includes senior officials from the Department of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Finance. According to an official statement from the Finance Ministry, she will participate in key sessions, including the Governors’ Business Meeting, the Plenary Session, and a panel discussion on “Cross-Border Collaboration for Future Resilience.”
The series of engagements offers India a platform to amplify its concerns at an international level, with Sitharaman using both bilateral and multilateral formats to raise the issue of terror funding.
“India is making it clear that countries and institutions supporting Pakistan financially must reconsider their positions in light of recent events,” a senior government source told ANI.
