India's effort to seek United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin is facing a roadblock from China, which has threatened to place a technical hold preventing the listing of the terror chief.

Days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was warmly welcomed in Xi’an by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the bonhomie, it appears, is yet to translate on to the negotiating tables of the UN.

India is currently in the process of seeking the support of the UNSC’s 15 members before formally introducing an application to list Salahuddin.

India is seeking the support of the United Nations Security Council members to impose sanctions on Syed Salahuddin (centre). China says it is seeking more information to prove Salahuddin’s links to Al Qaeda

Under UNSC resolution 1267, members would be required to enforce travel bans and freeze his assets.

Sources in Beijing said China is considering placing a technical hold on the application, and says it is seeking more information to prove Salahuddin’s links to Al Qaeda — a prerequisite for listing under 1267.

While Beijing may yet reconsider and support India’s move, Delhi is concerned that its efforts will be derailed by opposition from China, a veto-wielding permanent member that has placed technical holds on several Indian requests to blacklist terror chiefs, ostensibly on account of its “all-weather” ally Pakistan.

Asked about Salahuddin’s case, if Beijing would support India’s move, and if it was considering a technical hold, the Chinese Foreign Ministry told Mail Today in a statement on Wednesday: “This relates to internal discussions of the UNSC 1267 committee. We cannot comment.”

Resolution 1267 oversees implementation by members of assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo sanction members aimed at “targeted individuals and entities associated with Al Qaeda”.

If Salahuddin is declared a terrorist under 1267, his access to assets and movements would in theory be limited.

The Hizbul chief is thought to operate out of his Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) base. India’s argument is that Salahuddin once headed the United Jehad Council which has ties with Al Qaeda.

China had in the past at the behest of Pakistan placed technical holds that have delayed India’s applications to list the heads of the Jamat-ud-Dawa and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Beijing has previously asked for more information, saying India’s applications were not complete.

United States officials, however, saw Beijing’s moves to place holds on three LeT/JuD members as being at the behest of Pakistan, according to State Department cables published by WikiLeaks.

In those instances, Beijing eventually agreed to support the listing and removed its technical holds.

During Modi’s May 14-16 visit, China pledged to work closely with India on counterterrorism, with both sides in a joint statement urging “all countries to work sincerely to disrupt terrorist networks and their financing”.