India, Russia vow to step up cooperation in combating terrorism

New Delhi: India and Russia on Friday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the field of combating such common challenges and threats, such as terrorism, extremism, transnational organised crime, money laundering, terrorist financing and illicit drug trafficking.

“India and Russia have long stood shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. Whether it is the terrorist attack in Pahalgam or the cowardly attack at Crocus City Hall, the root of all such incidents is the same,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after his meeting with President Vladimir Putin. “India firmly believes that terrorism is a direct assault on the values of humanity, and that global unity against it is our greatest strength.”

Modi and Putin reaffirmed their strong commitment to preventing and countering terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border movement of terrorists and terrorist financing networks and safe havens. They condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in India in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, and in Russia at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22, 2024. They unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation by any religious or ideological pretexts, whenever, wherever, and by whomever they may be committed.

They also called for concerted actions against all UN-listed terrorist groups and entities, including Al Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh and their affiliates, aimed at rooting out terrorists’ safe havens, countering the spread of terrorist ideology, eliminating terrorist financing channels and their nexus with transnational crime, and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, including foreign terrorist fighters, according to a joint statement issued after Modi and Putin held the 23rd India-Russia summit in New Delhi.

The two leaders called for an uncompromising fight against international terrorism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations, noting the importance of increasing cooperation in this area, without hidden agendas and double standards on the solid basis of international law and the UN Charter. Besides, they stressed the need for firm implementation of relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, as well as the balanced implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

They emphasised the primary responsibility of states and their competent authorities in combating terrorism. They called for a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and expeditious finalisation and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN framework, as well as implementation of the UNGA and the UNSC resolutions on countering terrorism and violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

The two sides recalled the Special Meeting of the UNSC Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) held in India in October 2022 under India’s chairmanship of the CTC and welcomed the unanimously adopted Delhi Declaration on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. They noted that the declaration aims to cover the main concerns surrounding the terrorist exploitation of Information and Communications Technology, such as payment technologies, social media platforms and fundraising methods and misuse of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones). Both Sides also 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. In this regard, they noted with satisfaction the positive dynamics of strengthening relevant mechanisms within the SCO and BRICS formats.

Modi and Putin noted with appreciation the close coordination between India and Russia on Afghanistan, including through the dialogue mechanism between the Security Councils of both countries. They emphasised the important role of the Moscow Format meetings.

The leaders welcomed the counter-terrorism measures against international terrorist groups, including ISIS and ISKP and their affiliates, and expressed confidence that the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan would be comprehensive and effective. They stressed the need to ensure urgent and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.