US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists: Tillerson

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said the United States expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups, and such a move will improve Islamabad's international standing as well as stability in the region.

Tillerson made the comments on Wednesday while delivering an address on ‘Defining Our Relationship with India for the Next Century’ at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a top US think-tank, ahead of his Delhi visit next week.

"We expect Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups based there that threaten its own people and the broader region," he said, adding that in doing so, “Pakistan furthers peace and stability for itself and its neighbours and improves its own international standing.”

States that use terror as an instrument of policy will only see their international reputation diminish, he added.

Tillerson, who said that he would be visiting New Delhi next week for the first time in his official capacity, said that US President Donald Trump’s administration was “determined to dramatically deepen” ties with India.

"It is the obligation, not choice, of every civilised nation to combat the scourge of terrorism. The United States and India are leading that regional effort together," he said, pointing out that in the past decade, counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries has expanded significantly.

The Secretary said that the US and India were cross-screening known and suspected terrorists and later this year, Washington and New Delhi would convene a new dialogue on terrorist designations.

He said India is a partner of the US in Afghanistan.

"As we implement President Trump’s new South Asia strategy, we will turn to our partners to ensure greater stability in Afghanistan and throughout the region. India is a partner for peace in Afghanistan and we welcome its assistance efforts," he said.

Viewing India as a key partner in the face of negative Chinese influence in Asia, Tillerson said the United States had begun to discuss creating alternatives to Chinese infrastructure financing in Asia.

In another comment likely to upset Beijing, he said Washington saw room to invite others, including Australia, to join US-India-Japan security cooperation, something Beijing has opposed as an attempt by democracies to gang up on it.

The remarks coincide with the start of a week-long Chinese Communist Party congress at which President Xi Jinping is seeking to further consolidate his power.

"The United States seeks constructive relations with China, but we will not shrink from China´s challenges to the rules-based order and where China subverts the sovereignty of neighboring countries and disadvantages the US and our friends," Tillerson said in his address.

On Wednesday, US Vice President Mike Pence telephoned Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to thank him for the safe recovery of US national Caitlan Coleman, her husband Joshua Boyle, and their three children.

Pence thanked the government of Pakistan and praised the professionalism of the army and intelligence agencies for the swift response and safe recovery of the US-Canadian family.

The US VP reaffirmed the importance of bilateral relations and said that the US would like to further build this relationship for peace and prosperity of the region.

Re-affirming Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism from its soil, PM Abbasi assured the US vice president that Pakistan would respond to any actionable intelligence shared by the US side.