India-Philippines JWG on Counter Terrorism meets in Manila, condemns Pahalgam attack
Synopsis
At their second Joint Working Group meeting in Manila, India and the Philippines jointly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack of 22 April 2025 and the Red Fort incident of 10 November 2025 — a rare bilateral call-out that signals Manila's alignment with New Delhi on cross-border terrorism. The two sides are now pushing to counter extremist use of emerging technologies, a front that has moved sharply up the global security agenda.
Key Takeaways
India and the Philippines held the 2nd JWG on Counter Terrorism in Manila , concluding on 14 May 2025 .
Both sides jointly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack (22 April 2025) and the Red Fort terror incident (10 November 2025) .
The Philippines 'reiterated its solidarity and support with India in the fight against terrorism,' per the MEA statement.
Cooperation areas covered: law enforcement, judicial cooperation, terror financing, counter-radicalisation, and emerging technology misuse.
Both nations reaffirmed commitment to multilateral platforms including the UN , FATF , APG , and ARF .
The next JWG meeting will be held in India on a mutually agreed date.
India and the Philippines held the second meeting of their Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism in Manila on 14 May 2025, reviewing the evolving regional and global terrorism landscape and charting a roadmap for deeper bilateral security cooperation.
Key Developments
The two-day meeting, which concluded on Thursday, covered a broad spectrum of cooperation areas including counter terrorism, law enforcement, judicial cooperation, and capacity building. Both delegations agreed to accelerate information sharing and joint action against the misuse of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes and terror financing.
Joint Condemnation of Terror Attacks
In a joint statement issued by India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides 'unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism.' The statement specifically called out the 22 April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the 10 November 2025 terror incident near the Red Fort, New Delhi. 'The Philippines side reiterated its solidarity and support with India in the fight against terrorism,' the MEA statement read.
Who Led the Delegations
The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the MEA, and Marshall Louis M Alferez, Assistant Secretary of Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs. On the sidelines, the Indian delegation held separate meetings with senior officials of the National Security Council and the Anti-Money Laundering Council of the Philippines.
Multilateral Commitments
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation through multilateral platforms, including the United Nations, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the APG, and the ARF. They underlined the need for sustained international cooperation to combat terrorism in a comprehensive manner, with particular focus on countering radicalisation and violent extremism.
What Comes Next
Officials from both nations agreed to hold the next JWG meeting in India on a mutually convenient date, signalling continuity in the bilateral counter terrorism dialogue. This second meeting builds on a framework that both governments have been expanding amid growing concerns over cross-border terror networks and the weaponisation of new technologies by extremist groups.
Point of View
In a bilateral communiqué — is more than diplomatic courtesy; it is a strategic signal that Manila is willing to align publicly with New Delhi on cross-border terrorism at a time when India is building a coalition of like-minded partners. What the joint statement does not specify is the operational depth of the cooperation: information-sharing commitments and technology-counter frameworks remain aspirational without binding timelines or verification mechanisms. The inclusion of FATF and APG in the multilateral reaffirmation also points to a shared concern about terror financing routes through Southeast Asia, a dimension that deserves closer scrutiny than the headline bilateral optics suggest.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the India-Philippines Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism?
It is a bilateral mechanism through which India and the Philippines coordinate on counter terrorism, law enforcement, judicial cooperation, and capacity building. The second meeting of this JWG was held in Manila in May 2025.
Which terror attacks did India and the Philippines jointly condemn?
Both sides condemned the terrorist attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and the terror incident on 10 November 2025 near the Red Fort in New Delhi. The Philippines also reiterated its solidarity with India in the fight against terrorism.
Who represented India and the Philippines at the Manila JWG meeting?
India was represented by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs. The Philippines delegation was led by Marshall Louis M Alferez, Assistant Secretary of Asian and Pacific Affairs in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
What specific areas of cooperation did the two sides agree to strengthen?
The two sides agreed to enhance timely information sharing, counter the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, address terror financing, and strengthen cooperation in countering radicalisation and violent extremism. They also reaffirmed commitments through the UN, FATF, APG, and ARF.
When will the next India-Philippines JWG on Counter Terrorism be held?
The next meeting of the Joint Working Group will be held in India on a mutually convenient date, as agreed by officials at the conclusion of the Manila meeting.
