QUAD Foreign Ministers Condemn Pahalgam, Bondi Beach Terror Attacks, Slam Cross-Border Terrorism

Last Updated:May 26, 2026, 15:05 IST

The Quad called for “decisive and sustained international efforts” against globally banned terrorists, terror groups, their affiliates, financiers and sponsors.

Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting: The Quad nations (India, United States, Japan and Australia) on Tuesday strongly condemned last year’s Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir and Bondi Beach attack in Sydney, and reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific.

In a joint statement issued after the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in the national capital, the Quad gorup said it “unequivocally" condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, referring the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in Kashmir and the Bondi Beach attack in Australia in December last year.

“We unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism and the horrific terrorist attacks perpetrated at Pahalgam in India on 22 April 2025, and Bondi Beach in Australia on 14 December 2025. We call for decisive and sustained international efforts to combat terrorism in accordance with international law, including action against globally proscribed terrorists and terror entities and their proxies, affiliates, sponsors and financiers," the joint statement read.

The Quad called for “decisive and sustained international efforts" against globally banned terrorists, terror groups, their affiliates, financiers and sponsors. The Quad leaders also expressed concern over threats posed by extremist groups using emerging technologies for terrorist purposes and pledged closer cooperation with international and regional partners to strengthen counterterrorism efforts.

“We are committed to working together with our international and regional partners in a comprehensive manner to strengthen their capacity to prevent, detect and respond to threats posed by terrorism, violent extremists who engage in violent, criminal, or terrorist acts and by the use of emerging technologies for terrorist purposes," it added.

The explicit mention of the Pahalgam attack marked one of the strongest collective formulations by the Quad on terrorism affecting India, reflecting New Delhi’s growing effort to place cross-border militancy higher on the agenda of major international forums.

While addressing the joint press briefing, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar also emphasised that the four countries had devoted significant attention to the issue of terrorism during their discussions.

“There must be zero tolerance for terrorism, and nations subject to terrorist attacks have the right to defend themselves," Jaishankar said.

Apart from terrorism, the Quad reaffirmed its commitment to a “free and open Indo-Pacific" and opposed any unilateral or coercive actions aimed at changing the status quo in the region.

The grouping also voiced concern over tensions in the South China Sea and East China Sea, citing dangerous maritime actions such as blocking, ramming and the unsafe use of water cannons.

On West Asia, the Quad stressed the importance of maintaining the uninterrupted flow of global commerce through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. The ministers opposed any measures inconsistent with international maritime law, including the imposition of tolls on shipping routes.

The statement further highlighted concerns over cybercrime, online scam centres and transnational organised crime in Southeast Asia, while also expressing support for ASEAN centrality and regional stability initiatives.

Pahalgam Terror Attack

In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam April 22, 2025, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and injuring many others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar offshoot, claimed responsibility for the attack.

India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, bombing nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 militants. The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles and artillery.

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