New Delhi: Quad nations have pledged strong action against those behind the recent terror attack near Delhi’s Red Fort, asserting that perpetrators, organizers and financiers must be held accountable. A joint statement issued on Saturday reaffirmed the group’s zero-tolerance stance against terrorism in all forms, including cross-border threats.
During the third Quad Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) meeting, held in New Delhi over two days, India, Japan, Australia and the United States expressed deep condolences for the November 10 incident and urged global cooperation through the United Nations to ensure justice is delivered.
The discussions focused on the rapidly evolving terrorism threat landscape, especially Emerging challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Senior officials responsible for national counterterrorism strategies led the delegations.
India was represented by Dr. Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs. Ambassador Gemma Huggins headed Australia’s delegation, Minami Hiroyuki represented Japan as Ambassador for International Cooperation on Countering Terrorism and Organized Crime, and Monica Ager Jacobsen led the team from the United States State Department’s Counterterrorism Bureau.
The Quad CTWG was set up in March 2023 during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, with the current session taking place as part of India’s ongoing rotation as host for the next Quad Summit.
Delivering the keynote address, MEA Secretary (West) Ambassador Sibi George emphasized the need for a unified response against terrorism. He called on member nations to enhance the CTWG into a more “resilient, robust and action-oriented” mechanism and thanked partners for their solidarity following past terror attacks targeting India.
According to the joint statement, the group reviewed a wide spectrum of cooperation measures — including operational coordination, terror finance countermeasures, intelligence sharing and capacity-building efforts. The partners underscored their commitment to ensuring that the Indo-Pacific remains secure and free from extremist threats.
Shared Training and Operational Preparedness
A Tabletop Exercise titled “Counter Terrorism Operations in an Urban Environment” formed a key component of the meeting. The drill enabled experts from all four nations to exchange best practices and explore practical options for coordinated responses to complex terror scenarios in densely populated areas.
Member countries also reiterated the importance of enhanced intelligence exchange on individuals, networks and proxy organizations involved in terrorism, while highlighting the value of multilateral cooperation.
Earlier this year, India hosted two separate Quad workshops — one addressing counter-UAV strategies and another focusing on preventing terrorist use of emerging technologies for financing and communication. These workshops were organized in association with the National Security Guard and the National Investigation Agency.
Looking Ahead
The Quad partners resolved to strengthen joint preventive strategies and operational readiness, declaring that deeper collaboration will continue within the CTWG framework. The next meeting of the working group is scheduled for 2026.
As the Red Fort investigation proceeds, the Quad countries signaled a united front in the pursuit of justice and their shared resolve to safeguard regional and global security.
