India and Tajikistan condemn cross-border terrorism, call for concerted action against terrorists
Dushanbe, June 24
India and Tajikistan on Wednesday condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and reiterated their strong condemnation for the heinous terrorist attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam and the terror incident near Red Fort in New Delhi.
The two sides called for concerted action against terrorists and terrorist groups, including those listed in the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee. India has faced cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
The fifth meeting of the India-Tajikistan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was held in Dushanbe on Wednesday.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs of India and Sherali Jonon, Head of Department of Asia-Pacific Countries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan.
Representatives of relevant departments and agencies from both sides also participated in the meeting, Ministry of External Affairs said in a release.
"The two sides discussed threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions. Both sides exchanged views on current and emerging challenges to counter-terrorism, including countering violent extremism and radicalization, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of technology for terrorist purposes, drug trafficking and global movement of terrorists," the release said.
The two sides also discussed measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sphere of counter terrorism through information sharing, capacity building and sharing of best practices. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to strengthen cooperation in multilateral fora including at the UN, SCO-RATS and EAG.
The next meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism will be held in India on a mutually convenient date, the release said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
It's encouraging to see international cooperation against terrorism, but I wonder if the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee has enough teeth. We need more than just listings—we need actual action against state sponsors of cross-border terrorism. 🇮🇳
As someone who lives near the border, I appreciate any steps to curb terrorism. But let's be honest—meetings are easy, stopping the root cause is hard. Pakistan needs to dismantle its terror infrastructure, not just get talked about in joint working groups. #PahalgamVictims
Interesting how India is balancing its Central Asia outreach with security concerns. Tajikistan is a key partner given their proximity to Afghanistan. This joint working group seems like a smart diplomatic move to address shared threats like radicalization and terror financing.
My heart goes out to the victims of the Red Fort attack. Such incidents hit close to home. While I support these diplomatic efforts, I hope the government also focuses on deradicalization programs within India. We can't just fight terrorism abroad—we need to prevent it at home. 🙏
The inclusion of SCO-RATS and EAG in this cooperation is a positive sign. Multilateral frameworks can pressure Pakistan more effectively than bilateral talks alone. Let's hope the next meeting in India sees concrete progress, not just photo ops.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.