Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, leading a multi-party Indian parliamentary delegation, has formally urged Singapore to advocate for Pakistan’s inclusion on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist.

This diplomatic request was made during a meeting with Sim Ann, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, as part of India’s broader campaign to highlight Pakistan’s alleged misuse of international financial aid and ongoing links to terrorism.

Jha emphasised that the delegation raised serious concerns about Pakistan’s continued diversion of financial assistance towards defence and terrorist activities, rather than developmental purposes. He stated, “We requested that Pakistan be brought on the blacklist because whatever financial support it gets, its expenditure is on its defence or terrorism. There is no expense in development work.” Jha also referenced Singapore’s longstanding membership in FATF since 1992, noting the city-state’s active role in strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing frameworks.

The Indian delegation’s outreach follows Operation Sindoor, a decisive military response launched on May 7, 2025, after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. Jha highlighted that the Indian Air Force had precisely targeted and destroyed nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan, avoiding civilian or military bases. He further noted that after these strikes, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations approached India for a ceasefire, underscoring the seriousness of the situation and India’s unified stance on national security.

India’s diplomatic offensive is not limited to Singapore. The delegation, which includes MPs from various political parties such as BJP, TMC, CPI-M, and Congress, is part of a coordinated effort to inform key international partners about Pakistan’s alleged links to terrorism and to garner support for stricter international scrutiny. Meetings have also been held with Singaporean parliamentarians, business leaders, academics, and cultural representatives, as well as the Indian High Commissioner to Singapore.

The context for this outreach is the FATF’s system of grey and black lists. The grey list includes countries under increased monitoring for strategic deficiencies in countering money laundering and terror financing, while the black list is reserved for jurisdictions with serious deficiencies and a lack of commitment to address them. Pakistan was on the FATF grey list from 2018 until its removal in 2022, following claims of progress in anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing reforms. However, India has consistently argued that Pakistan has not fulfilled its commitments and continues to support terrorist groups, particularly in the wake of renewed violence such as the Pahalgam attack.

India’s push for Pakistan’s re-listing—whether on the grey or black list—has significant implications. FATF blacklisting would severely restrict Pakistan’s access to global financial systems, diminish foreign investment, and increase borrowing costs. Even a return to the grey list would subject Pakistan to enhanced scrutiny, potentially complicating its access to international financial assistance from institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

Sanjay Kumar Jha’s appeal to Singapore is part of a larger, strategic diplomatic initiative following Operation Sindoor, aimed at isolating Pakistan internationally for its alleged role in sponsoring terrorism. The move underscores India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism and its intent to leverage international mechanisms like the FATF to exert economic and diplomatic pressure on Pakistan.

Based On ANI Report