The United States government’s decision to designate Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist is a great victory for Indian diplomacy and the country’s position on Islamic secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir. Many Indian observers have always believed that it was US endorsement and moral support which helped Pakistan to sponsor Islamic separatism and keep pushing foreign mercenaries into Indian soil. Even the creation of the Hurriyat Conference in 1993 is attributed to the genius of the then US Assistant Secretary of State, Robin Raphel. All this when Prime Minister Narasimha Rao was assiduously realigning Indian diplomacy to embrace the US as an unequal partner. Now, for the US to stamp Salahuddin or Yousuf Shah, a homegrown militant from the Valley, as a global terrorist marks a dramatic turn in the Indo-US relations. It is undoubtedly Modi’s moment of triumph.