Washington D.C. | International Bureau | June 2025
On his recent diplomatic mission to the United States, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar made a firm and urgent appeal to the global community: Terrorism must be treated as a global crime with zero tolerance, not political leverage. 🚫💣
His remarks came during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington, D.C., where India, along with its strategic partners—🇺🇸 the United States, 🇦🇺 Australia, and 🇯🇵 Japan—discussed a range of pressing issues, including regional security, Indo-Pacific stability, and most prominently, the threat of terrorism.
🔥 India’s Unambiguous Stand on Terrorism
Dr. Jaishankar, in his remarks, drew a clear moral and legal distinction between victims and perpetrators of terrorism, stating:
“There can be no compromise on this. The victims of terror and those who perpetrate it can never be put on the same footing. India will continue to defend its people with full legitimacy and determination.”
🇮🇳 He cited India’s long-standing fight against cross-border terrorism, referencing attacks such as:
The 2001 Indian Parliament attack
The 2008 Mumbai attacks (26/11)
Recent border skirmishes in Jammu & Kashmir
Jaishankar reminded allies that India’s counter-terror operations are always in line with international law, but firmly rooted in national security priorities.
🤝 Direct Appeal to Quad Partners
In Washington, Jaishankar urged Quad allies to take a consistent and principled stance on global terrorism, particularly state-sponsored terror, without political bias.
“No country should shelter terrorists or use them as proxies in geopolitical games. No impunity, no justification, and no yielding to threats—especially nuclear blackmail.”
He indirectly referenced Pakistan’s role in harboring terror outfits and also warned about emerging threats from non-state actors in Afghanistan and parts of Africa.
🔍 India has long pushed for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the United Nations, and Jaishankar reiterated that call, pressing for a unified legal definition of terrorism.
🌏 Indo-Pacific: Guarding Sovereignty and Choice
Moving beyond traditional counter-terror themes, Dr. Jaishankar emphasized the Quad’s responsibility in ensuring that Indo-Pacific nations have the freedom to choose their economic and security partners.
“We must not let coercion define connectivity. The Indo-Pacific must remain free, open, inclusive, and rules-based.”
This was a clear signal toward China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its growing strategic assertiveness in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean Region (IOR) 🌊.
🕊️ Jaishankar at the UN: A Global Wake-Up Call
At a subsequent United Nations session, Jaishankar delivered a forceful address stating:
🗣️ “Terrorism remains one of the gravest threats to humanity. It violates the core principles of human rights and undermines peace, development, and international cooperation.”
He urged:
Global solidarity against state-sponsored extremism
Greater intelligence-sharing and joint action against terror financing
Public naming and shaming of countries harboring terrorists
Referring to the UN Security Council’s inertia, he called for reforms that would allow stronger international responses to terror threats and end the “politics of selective outrage.”
🧭 India’s Role in Global Counter-Terrorism
India, a frequent target of cross-border terrorism, has taken the lead on various international platforms:
🇮🇳 Pushed for UN terror designations of individuals like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed
👮♂️ Enforced FATF (Financial Action Task Force) guidelines on terror financing
🤝 Collaborated in trilateral anti-terror drills with Quad countries
📡 Expanded intelligence cooperation with countries in the Middle East and Africa
📌 Summary: India’s Message to the World
“Zero tolerance for terrorism must not remain a slogan—it must become international policy,” Jaishankar concluded.
🔴 His message was loud and clear:
🛑 No justification for terrorism—under any pretext
⚖️ Victims must be supported, perpetrators punished
🕵️♂️ No shielding of terrorists under political or strategic agendas
🌍 The global community must unite to combat state-backed and ideological terror networks
📝 Final Thoughts
As the world confronts new forms of hybrid warfare, including cyberterrorism, drone attacks, and lone-wolf extremism, India is pushing hard for a renewed international compact—one that is unflinching, coordinated, and resolute.
Jaishankar’s Washington and UN addresses reflect India’s evolving diplomatic assertiveness in shaping global counter-terror strategy—an approach grounded in experience, law, and principle.
