New Delhi: India and Russia on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to a unified and “uncompromising” global campaign against terrorism, calling for zero tolerance and international cooperation without hidden agendas or double standards. The pledge was made during the annual India-Russia summit, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed counter-terrorism as a key pillar of their strategic partnership.

Speaking at a joint media interaction, Prime Minister Modi emphasized that terrorism represents a direct assault on humanity. “India and Russia have long stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the fight against terrorism,” he said in Hindi. Modi referenced recent attacks in both countries, including the terrorist strike in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, carried out in April by The Resistance Front, a proxy group of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the assault on Crocus City Hall in Moscow in March 2024, claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-K), which operates along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. “The root of all such incidents is the same,” Modi noted, underscoring the transnational nature of terrorism.

The joint statement issued after the summit laid out a shared commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on terror, calling for the speedy finalization of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the UN framework. It declared that all acts of terrorism are “criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation by any religious or ideological pretexts.” The statement further emphasised coordinated action against UN-listed terror groups, including Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State, IS-K, and their affiliates. Measures were outlined to target safe havens, disrupt financing channels, counter transnational crime networks, and halt the cross-border movement of terrorists, including foreign fighters.

Both countries highlighted that states bear primary responsibility for countering terrorism. They recalled the special meeting of the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee held in India in October 2022 and noted the adoption of the Delhi Declaration, which addressed the use of new and emerging technologies by terrorist groups. The declaration specifically focuses on concerns over the exploitation of information and communications technologies, such as payment systems, social media platforms, fundraising mechanisms, and the misuse of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones for terrorist activities.

The joint statement emphasized India and Russia’s willingness to deepen cooperation in preventing radicalization and the spread of extremist ideology online. “Both sides expressed their readiness to develop further cooperation in this field with a special focus on preventing radicalisation and the spread of extremist ideology in the online space,” it stated.

Another key area of collaboration highlighted in the summit was Afghanistan. India and Russia reiterated their close coordination on developments in the country, emphasizing the significance of the Moscow Format meetings on the Afghan situation. The two leaders welcomed ongoing counter-terrorism measures against international terror groups, including the Islamic State and IS-K, and expressed confidence in a comprehensive and effective strategy to combat terror in Afghanistan. They also stressed the importance of ensuring uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, briefing the media after the summit, underlined the shared resolve of the two countries to fight jointly against all forms and manifestations of terrorism. He reiterated that Prime Minister Modi had reaffirmed India’s zero-tolerance policy on terrorism, while President Putin reiterated Russia’s full support for India in these efforts.

The summit reinforced the broader India-Russia strategic partnership, which has consistently prioritized counter-terrorism, energy security, and regional stability. By uniting on a common approach to global terrorism, the two nations signaled their intent to influence international counter-terrorism norms, particularly in ensuring that responses to terrorism are impartial, coordinated, and comprehensive.

Modi’s remarks highlighted the moral dimension of the fight against terror, framing it not merely as a national security concern but as a global responsibility. He emphasized that international unity and cooperation remain the strongest weapons against terrorism, reinforcing the importance of shared intelligence, coordinated action, and legal and diplomatic measures to dismantle terrorist networks.

The summit also underscored the broader geopolitical context, particularly the threat posed by cross-border terrorist networks operating in South and Central Asia. By focusing on the nexus between terrorist organizations, state actors, and emerging technologies, India and Russia signaled their intention to lead global efforts to address evolving threats in a coordinated manner.

In conclusion, the India-Russia summit marked a clear affirmation of the two countries’ unwavering stance against terrorism. Through a combination of policy coordination, intelligence-sharing, and technology-driven counter-terrorism strategies, India and Russia aim to reinforce the international legal framework, disrupt terror financing, neutralize safe havens, and counter radicalization, ensuring that global efforts against terrorism remain strong, consistent, and uncompromising.

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