India, June 11 -- The US needs to have a relationship with both India and Pakistan because of the Pakistani military's role in countering the threat from Islamic State-Khorasan Province, a top American general has said in remarks that are unlikely to go down well in New Delhi.

The remarks by the head of the US Central Command, Gen Michael E Kurilla, during a hearing by the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, come at a time when India has intensified efforts to highlight Pakistan's support for cross-border terrorism in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in April.

Indian officials, including external affairs minister S Jaishankar, have insisted that the victims of the Pahalgam attack and the perpetrators of the terrorist a...