India, Russia call for "concerted action" against terror groups, proxies; discuss emerging threats at 14th JWG meeting
New Delhi, July 9
India and Russia called for "concerted action" against terrorist groups, their proxy organisations and affiliates while discussing emerging global and regional security threats during the 14th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism in the national capital, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The meeting, co-chaired by MEA Secretary (West) Sibi George and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Dmitry Lyubinsky, took place on Wednesday, where representatives from relevant departments and agencies of both countries also participated in the discussions.
According to the MEA statement issued Thursday, both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, as well as the blast near Red Fort, New Delhi, on November 10, 2025.
"Both sides called for concerted action against terrorists and terrorist groups, including those listed in the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee and their proxy groups and affiliates," the MEA statement read.
During the meeting, India and Russia shared their experiences in combating terrorism and agreed to enhance cooperation in addressing challenges related to violent extremism, radicalisation, terror financing and the misuse of new and emerging technologies, including digital financial technologies, for terrorist purposes.
The two sides also exchanged assessments on current and emerging terrorist threats at the global and regional levels and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation through bilateral and multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, BRICS, the Eurasian Group on Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
"The two sides shared their experiences in countering terrorism and agreed to enhance cooperation to address challenges of violent extremism, radicalisation, terror financing and the use of new and emerging technologies and digital financial technologies for terrorist purposes. They discussed the current and emerging terrorist threats at the global and regional level," the statement read.
"The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation in bilateral as well as multilateral platforms, including at the UN, BRICS, EAG and SCO," the statement added.
The next meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism will be held in Russia on a mutually convenient date, the ministry added.
Following the meeting, the MEA in a post on X said that both sides "shared their assessment on regional and global terrorism" and agreed to strengthen cooperation against challenges such as radicalisation, terror financing and the misuse of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some practical diplomacy! The focus on "new and emerging technologies" like digital finance for terror funding is crucial. Too often these meetings are just talk, but including BRICS and SCO shows real intent. Just hope Russia keeps its end of the bargain on intelligence sharing.
Good to see India-Russia ties still robust despite western pressures. Counter-terrorism is an area where both face similar threats from non-state actors. The UNSC 1267 listing is important, but we need more teeth - like mutual extradition treaties and real-time intelligence sharing.
Pahalgam attack was a stark reminder that terrorism has no borders. Glad Russia stood with us. But I wonder - will these meetings stop the funding from certain neighboring countries? We need action, not just statements. Still, better to have Russia on our side than against us.
Collaborative efforts like this JWG are vital, but let's not overlook that both countries have different approaches. Russia focuses on state-sponsored threats, while India deals more with cross-border infiltration. The shared condemnation of "proxy groups" is a good sign though.
It's heartening to see our traditional partner Russia reaffirm support. But I'm a bit skeptical - how many such JWG meetings have happened with little ground impact? The mention of EAG and FATF style cooperation on terror financing is promising. Let's see concrete results on freezing accounts and disrupting networks.
Both countries understand that terrorism doesn't operate in
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.