Trump approves 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s extradition to India

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced the extradition of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana to India and said he will face justice. He made the announcement during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi following their bilateral meeting.

“I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters (Tahawwur Rana) and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack to face justice in India. He is going back to India to face justice”, Trump said.

#WATCH | Washington, DC: US President Donald Trump says, “I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters (Tahawwur Rana) and one of the very evil people of the world, having to do with the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack… pic.twitter.com/HxgI5zaelO

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025

The US State Department had said last month that it is evaluating the next steps regarding Tahawwur Rana’s extradition to India. A spokesperson from the State Department said that the US has long supported India’s efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case.”

In view of the recent Supreme Court decision, and consistent with applicable US law, the Department of State is currently evaluating the next steps in this case, the statement said. “We have long supported India’s efforts to ensure the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attacks face justice”, the statement added.

Answering queries at a press conference last week Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that India is in touch with US authorities for Rana’s extradition.

“On the extradition of Tahawwur Rana, from recent developments, you would be aware that he has exhausted all legal avenues in the United States with the US Supreme Court also dismissing his appeal and therefore we are now in touch with US authorities to work on the logistics of his surrender to Indian authorities,” Misri had said.

Pakistani-origin businessman Tahawwur Hussain Rana was convicted for his role in the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai. Rana’s co-conspirators included David Headley, who pleaded guilty and cooperated against Rana.

On January 21, the US Supreme Court denied a petition for a writ of certiorari filed by Rana, seeking to prevent his extradition to India. The petition, filed in November 2024, was against an earlier order of a lower court that had ruled in favour of his extradition. A writ of certiorari is a legal document that allows a higher court to review a case from a lower court.

The 26/11 attacks resulted in the death of 174 people, including 20 security personnel and 26 foreigners, and over 300 others were injured in the horrific attacks that took place at Mumbai’s Taj Hotel on November 26, 2008.

In his remarks, President Trump lauded the “special bond” between the US and India, he said that both nations are also announcing the framework to further strengthen the ties.

“I am thrilled to welcome PM Modi at the White House. We spend a lot of time here and also in India. We travelled to your beautiful country 5 years ago… It was an incredible period of time. There is a special bond between the US and India – the world’s oldest and largest democracies in the world. Today, the PM and I are announcing the framework to strengthen the ties further,” Trump said.

In another major announcement, President Trump said that the US will increase its military sales to India and pave the way to ultimately provide it with F35 Stealth fighters. He also reaffirmed the commitment to the Quad partnership to maintain peace and tranquillity in the Indo-Pacific region.

“Starting this year, we will increase military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We are also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F35 Stealth fighters. In 2017, my administration revived and reinvigorated the Quad security partnership…Prime Minister and I reaffirm the strong cooperation among the United States, India, Australia and Japan, and it’s really crucial to maintain peace, prosperity, tranquillity in the Indo-Pacific,” Trump further said.

The US President further announced agreements on energy import agreement and trade routes. “The Prime Minister and I also reached an important agreement on energy that will ensure the US to be the leading supplier of oil and natural gas to India, hopefully, the number one supplier. In the groundbreaking development for the US nuclear industry, India is also reforming laws to welcome US nuclear technology, which is at the highest level in the Indian market,” Trump said.

“We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the US, connecting our partners, roads, railways and undersea cables. It is a big development,” he added. (ANI)