Amid ongoing trade tensions, a high-level US Congressional delegation on the House Intelligence Committee has wrapped up a two-week mission to South Asia, pressing India to scale back Russian oil imports while deepening counterterrorism coordination with Pakistan.
Led by Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Chairman of the CIA Subcommittee, and joined by Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), the bipartisan team visited India, Nepal, and Pakistan for strategic talks with senior foreign leaders, US diplomats, and allied intelligence officials.
In New Delhi, Fitzpatrick met India’s foreign minister and national security advisers, raising Washington’s concerns over India’s continued purchase of Russian crude. The congressman later said that “following these engagements and sustained US pressure, Indian refiners are signalling plans to reduce imports of Russian oil — a consequential shift that directly undermines Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine.”
Calling it a sign of “principled American leadership and high-level diplomatic engagement,” Fitzpatrick said the outcome would help align partners “with the cause of freedom” as the war in Ukraine grinds on.
The delegation also visited the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in Delhi, which Fitzpatrick highlighted as a personal moment of connection: “Pennsylvania’s First District is the only district in the nation with three BAPS temples I was humbled to witness its extraordinary service and spiritual leadership firsthand.”
In Pakistan, the focus shifted to counterterrorism. Fitzpatrick held meetings with US embassy officials, intelligence personnel, and partner representatives from the UK, Australia, and Ukraine. According to his office, the talks “drove progress on counterterrorism coordination, initiated new channels for intelligence transparency, and reinforced long-term security cooperation.”
Kathmandu provided a quieter stop, with embassy briefings centred on intelligence coordination and countering malign influence in the region. The mission, Fitzpatrick said, reaffirmed “America’s role as a stabilising force in South Asia — supporting efforts to defend democratic governance and uphold a rules-based regional order.”
Houlahan called the visit both timely and essential. “Our trip comes at a particularly important moment not only in our relationship with the region, but also as both countries (India and Pakistan) are experiencing devastating flooding and working to maintain their ceasefire agreement from earlier this year,” she said.
Fitzpatrick, a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, summed up the mission in broader terms: “This mission advanced critical US priorities: cutting off Russia’s war financing, strengthening intelligence partnerships, and grounding our leadership in the values we represent at home As global challenges grow more complex, so must our response.”
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With inputs form agencies