“We have previously condemned the terror attacks and terror sanctuaries that exist in Pakistan and suspended military assistance,” US ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said

BANGALORE: The United States is working with Indian agencies to hunt the mastermind of the Pulwama terror attack early this week that caused the death of 49 CRPF personnel, its ambassador to India Kenneth Juster said here on Tuesday.

“We are working closely with the Indian government in terms of getting to the bottom of terror attacks,”Juster told reporters ahead of the Aero India show here. “We have previously condemned the terror attacks and terror sanctuaries that exist in Pakistan and suspended military assistance.”

India has blamed Pakistan of harbouring terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, which claimed responsibility for the car bomb attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. The ambassador’s statement came hours after Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan blamed India of levelling allegations against his country without any evidence.

With nearly 25 companies participating in the air show, this is the largest US contingent ever in Aero India. The US military’s F/A-118 Super Hornet, Boeing C-17 Globemaster aircraft, F-16 will be on display at the air show. The US has emerged as India’s second-largest arms supplier, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Arms imports from the US increased five fold between 2013 and 2017, it said in March last year.

Terming 2018 as the banner year in the US defence’s partnership with India, the ambassador hoped to continue the strong bilateral cooperation in 2019.

“Last year, the Indian armed forces conducted more military exercises with the US than with any other armed forces in the world. More US service members came to train with their counterparts in India than at any time in the past,” Juster said, referring to the international maritime exercise RIMPAC, ministerial 2+2 dialogue, 14th bilateral army training exercise, etc.