New Delhi [India], Mar 15 (ANI): India has secured unprecedented support from the international community for listing Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) chief Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions Committee, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj stated on Friday.

Swaraj also gave a strong rebuttal to those who labelled Azhar's listing under the UN Sanctions Committee as a "diplomatic failure".

"I have shared...facts with you so that leaders who describe this as our diplomatic failure may see for themselves that in 2009, India was alone. In 2019, India has worldwide support," she tweeted.

"In 2009, India under the UPA Government was the lone proposer. In 2016, India's proposal was co-sponsored by USA, France and UK. In 2017, USA, UK and France moved the proposal," Swaraj tweeted.

She outlined that the latest proposal to designate Azhar as a global terrorist enjoyed the support of 14 of the 15 UN Security Council members.

"In 2019, the proposal was moved by USA, France and UK and supported by 14 of the 15 UN Security Council members and also co-sponsored by Australia, Bangladesh, Italy and Japan - non-members of the Security Council. Thus, we have secured unprecedented support from the international community for listing of Masood Azhar under the UN Sanctions Committee," she said.

In a move which has been largely condemned, China, for the fourth time, blocked Azhar's listing as a global terrorist at the UN Security Council on March 13. The proposal, by countries like the USA, UK and France, was moved in the UNSC following the widely condemned February 14 Pulwama terror attack, the responsibility of which has been claimed by Azhar's UN-proscribed terror outfit JeM.

India expressed disappointment over the development but vowed to pursue "all available avenues to ensure that terrorist leaders who are involved in heinous attacks on our citizens" are brought to justice.

China, however, defended its technical hold to the UN resolution, saying it needed "more time" as it is "conducting a comprehensive and in-depth review" on the listing request put forth by the countries, a stance that has been widely criticised.

Swaraj's statement comes on the same day that France sanctioned Azhar at a national level and froze his assets while showing its complete support to India following the Pulwama terror attack where India lost over 40 CRPF personnel.

Furthermore, France will also be raising the issue with its European partners in a bid to include Azhar on the European Union list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts. (ANI)