United States has warned India and Afghanistan that terrorist outfits based in Pakistan are planning attacks on the countries.
Director of National Intelligence, Daniel Coat, on Thursday told members of the US Senate Select Committee on Intelligence during a Congressional hearing on Worldwide threats that Islamabad has failed to stop the militants and terrorists in Pakistan.
"These groups will present a sustained threat to the United States's interest in the region and continue to plan and conduct attacks in India and Afghanistan," Coats said.
Coats added that Pakistan is expanding its nuclear arsenal in pursuing tactical nuclear weapons, potentially lowering the threshold for their use.
The US intelligence community also assessed that the political and security situation in Afghanistan will most likely deteriorate through 2018. Coats told the lawmakers present that even though the US will increase its military assistance to Afghan, the security scenario in the country does not look very positive in the future.
"This deterioration is undermined by its dire economic situation. Afghanistan will struggle to curb its dependence on external support until it contains the insurgency or reaches a peace agreement with the Taliban," he said.
The intelligence official said that Taliban will continue to make gains in the country, particularly in the rural regions.
"Meanwhile, we assess that Taliban is likely to continue to make gains especially in rural areas. Afghan Security Forces performance will probably worsen due to a combination of Taliban operations, combat casualties, desertion, poor logistic support and weak leadership," Coats said.
He said that considering India's rising international status, Pakistan is concerned about international isolation and will likely seek assistance from China to strengthen its world relations.
"Pakistan is concerned about international isolation and sees its position of India's rising international status including India's expanded foreign outreach and deepening ties to the United States."
"Pakistan will likely turn to China to offset its isolation, empowering a relationship that will help Beijing to project influence into the Indian Ocean," Coats testified before the committee.
