BRICS marks 10 years of establishment of Counter Terrorism Working Group
New Delhi, May 24
The 11th Annual BRICS Counter Terrorism Working Group Plenary and Sub Groups' Meetings were held in New Delhi on 21-22 May 2026 under the Chairship of India, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The meetings marked 10 years of the establishment of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG).
Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs delivered the keynote address on the inaugural day.
As per the statement, in his address, he emphasized the importance of collective and united efforts of the BRICS member countries to tackle the global menace of terrorism and urged BRICS member countries to work together to make BRICS CTWG a more resilient, constructive, innovative, inclusive and result-oriented Working Group.
He thanked BRICS member countries for showing solidarity and extending support to India following the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India on 22 April 2025. He reiterated India's policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, as per the MEA.
Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India chaired the meetings. Senior counter terrorism officials from ten BRICS member countries participated in the meetings.
BRICS member countries condemned the April 2025 Pahalgam attack and other terrorist attacks against the BRICS member countries and reaffirmed commitment to further enhancing counter terrorism cooperation. During the meetings, member countries discussed the full spectrum of counter-terrorism cooperation to address existing and emerging challenges.
The BRICS CTWG Plenary meeting was preceded by the meetings of the five thematic Sub Groups.
As per Official Spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, George "Emphasised the need for robust collaborative approach to tackle the challenges to counter terrorism such as evolving terror funding mechanism, radicalisation and use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist while adopting zero tolerance against terrorism as the foundational principle."
— ANI
Reader Comments
A decade of collaborative effort—kudos to India for hosting and driving the agenda! The focus on terror financing and radicalization is spot on. But I hope these meetings translate into concrete action, not just statements. We keep seeing attacks, despite all the talk. Still, it's a step in the right direction. 🕊️
Good to see BRICS taking terrorism seriously. However, we need to ensure that the Working Group doesn't become just another talk shop. The Pahalgam attack was a brutal reminder—nations must share real-time intelligence and crack down on safe havens. India's zero tolerance policy is the gold standard. Let's hold all members accountable.
Impressive to see this kind of multilateral cooperation on counter-terrorism. The BRICS approach seems comprehensive—covering funding, radicalization, and technology. India's leadership is commendable. Let's hope these efforts bring real security to all citizens.
Ten years of the CTWG and the threat of terrorism still lingers. While I appreciate India's proactive role, especially after Pahalgam, I wish the BRICS would take a stronger stand against state-sponsored terrorism. The rhetoric is fine, but we need action—freeze assets, impose sanctions. Otherwise, these meetings lose their bite. 🤔
Very proud that India is chairing this important forum. The emphasis on emerging tech threats—like drones, AI for terror—is exactly what we need. But can we also focus on domestic counter-radicalization? Binaries aside, prevention at grassroots matters. Overall,
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