WASHINGTON: The United States wants a robust counter-terrorism relationship with both India and Pakistan, say senior US officials while refusing to discuss the possibility of joint military actions against Pakistan-based terror groups.

Briefing a select group of journalists on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington earlier this week, the officials made it clear that Kashmir never came up for discussion in Mr Modi’s meeting with US President Barack Obama.

Also read: Obama, Modi vow to push relations to new levels

Mr Obama also avoided any mention of minority rights in India, the officials said. Last week, a bipartisan group of eleven US lawmakers urged Mr Obama to discuss with his guest recent curbs on religious freedoms affecting Indian Muslims and Christians.

The two leaders, however, expressed a strong desire to support and strengthen democratic institutions in Pakistan, the officials said.

“We have sought to have a robust relationship on counterterrorism with India, with Pakistan, with all the countries of the region,” said US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal while confirming that the issue of terrorism did come for discussion in the Obama-Modi meeting.

“Those are not conversations that I’m going to get into here, but we’re certainly talking about all of the different actions that we’re taking ourselves through US strikes against ISIL (ISIS), for example,” said Ms Biswal when asked if a joint statement issued during Mr Modi’s visit also indicated possible military action against Pakistan-based terror groups.

“We’re also open to our conversations with all of our partners in the region about what role they want to play and how they can be helpful in those efforts,” she said.

“Terrorism is a threat to the region. It is a threat to the United States, to our people and our institutions around the world,” Ms Biswal added.

In the joint statement, the United States and India committed to taking “joint and concerted efforts” to dismantle terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Haqqani network and the D-company. They also vowed to disrupt all financial and tactical support provided to these groups.

Responding to a question, Philip Reiner, senior director for India at the White House National Security Council, said that the Kashmir issue was not discussed in the Obama-Modi meeting.

“I’m almost 100 per cent sure that the word Kashmir actually did not come up,” he said.

When Mr Obama was hosting a private dinner for Mr Modi on Sept. 29, hundreds of Kashmiris held a candle-light vigil outside the White House, urging him to raise the issue of Kashmir with the Indian leader.

While Mr Obama ignored their plea, he did support Mr Modi’s efforts to improve bilateral relations with Pakistan.

“The two leaders had a very positive conversation … about … the relationship … that Prime Minister Modi is interested in developing and pushing forward with his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif,” Mr Reiner said. “It was a very strong and positive conversation about the potential that is inherent.”

The US official also mentioned Mr Modi’s invitation to Mr Sharif to attend his inauguration as India’s prime minister in May this year, which, he believed, indicated India’s desire to improve relations with Pakistan.

Ms Biswal said that President Obama and Prime Minister Modi also shared a “strong desire” to support and strengthen democracy in Pakistan.

The two leaders also noted that “democratic societies tend to advance stability, prosperity, and become better neighbours and better partners,” Ms Biswal said.

She noted that India was playing a “very helpful, supportive and constructive role” in Afghanistan’s economic development.

Published in Dawn, October 4th , 2014