India and Russia held the 14th meeting of the India-Russia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism on 8 July 2025 in New Delhi, reaffirming their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism, radicalisation, and terror financing. The session marked a significant step in the two countries' long-standing security partnership.

Key Developments

The meeting was co-chaired by Sibi George, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Dmitry Lyubinsky, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. Representatives from relevant departments and agencies of both nations also participated.

Both sides jointly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, with particular emphasis on cross-border terrorism. They specifically condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the terror incident near Red Fort on 10 November 2025, calling for concerted international action against terrorist groups — including those listed under the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee — as well as their proxy groups and affiliates.

Areas of Enhanced Cooperation

The two delegations exchanged experiences in countering terrorism and agreed to strengthen collaboration across several critical areas: violent extremism, radicalisation, terror financing, and the exploitation of new and emerging technologies — including digital financial technologies — for terrorist purposes. This reflects a growing recognition that terrorism is increasingly tech-enabled and financially sophisticated.

Both sides also assessed current and emerging terrorist threats at the global and regional levels, underlining the need for coordinated responses that go beyond bilateral frameworks.

Multilateral Platforms and Next Steps

India and Russia reaffirmed their commitment to counter-terrorism cooperation on multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The two sides agreed to hold the next JWG meeting in Russia on a mutually convenient date.

This comes against the backdrop of the 13th JWG meeting, held in November 2024 in Moscow, which was co-chaired by Tanmaya Lal, then Secretary (West), and Sergey Vershinin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. The regularity of these meetings — now in their 14th edition — signals sustained institutional momentum in the India-Russia security dialogue.

Why This Meeting Matters

The timing is notable. The 14th JWG session follows a period of heightened security sensitivity in India, particularly in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and the Red Fort incident. By naming these attacks jointly with Russia, New Delhi is seeking broader international solidarity for its counter-terrorism posture — including on platforms like the UNSC, where Russia holds a permanent seat. Notably, both nations have converging interests in countering extremism emanating from Central Asia and Afghanistan, making the SCO a particularly relevant multilateral venue for this agenda.