The 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum, held over two days in New Delhi, concluded on Tuesday, 27 October 2026 with member nations issuing a Joint Declaration that strongly condemned the 22 April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed and many more injured. The declaration reaffirmed BRICS members' collective commitment to combatting terrorism in all its forms, explicitly calling out cross-border movement of terrorists, terrorism financing, and safe havens.

What the Joint Declaration Said

The declaration adopted by BRICS parliamentary representatives pulled no punches. “We express strong condemnation of any acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured,” the document stated.

The declaration further stressed that terrorism must not be linked to any religion, nationality, civilisation, or ethnic group, and demanded that all individuals involved in terrorist activities and their support networks “be held accountable and brought to justice in accordance with relevant national and international law.” The forum urged member states to ensure “zero tolerance for terrorism” and explicitly “rejected double standards in countering terrorism” — language widely read as directed at states that distinguish between militant groups based on strategic interest.

Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and the UN Framework

Forum participants welcomed the activities of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) and its five subgroups, which operate under the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Action Plan, and the CTWG Position Paper. Members called for deepening cooperation and urged the expeditious finalisation and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism within the United Nations framework. They also called for concerted action against all UN-designated terrorist organisations and individuals.

Notably, this is the second major multilateral declaration in as many months to condemn the Pahalgam attack. Last month, top BRICS leaders had gathered in New Delhi for the 18th BRICS Summit, where the ‘New Delhi Declaration 2026’ was adopted, which also condemned the attack and used strong language against cross-border terrorism financing and safe havens.

West Asia Concerns and Unilateral Sanctions

The forum also expressed “deep concern” over the continued escalation of tensions in West Asia, calling for maximum restraint and urging all parties to avoid actions that could further aggravate the situation. Members called for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in line with the UN Charter, including respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On the economic front, the Joint Declaration condemned “the imposition of unilateral coercive measures that are contrary to international law,” including unilateral economic sanctions and secondary sanctions, citing their “far-reaching negative implications on human rights, including the right to development, health and food security.” The forum called for the elimination of such measures, which it said undermine international law and the UN Charter.

Significance for India

India has consistently sought multilateral backing for its position on cross-border terrorism following the Pahalgam attack, and securing two back-to-back BRICS-level condemnations — first at the leaders’ summit and now at the parliamentary forum — represents a diplomatic reinforcement of that posture. The forum’s call for an expedited UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism also aligns with a longstanding Indian diplomatic priority at the United Nations.

With the CTWG framework deepening and multilateral consensus firming, the next test will be whether these declarations translate into concrete, verifiable counter-terrorism actions by all member states.