In a strong show of solidarity, the Quad nations, India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, jointly condemned the April Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 tourists who were mostly Hindus and expressed unequivocal support for India’s right to self-defence, in what marks a significant diplomatic victory for New Delhi.
Meeting in Washington DC for the Quad Foreign Ministers’ summit, the four-nation grouping issued a joint statement denouncing all acts of terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism,” with a direct condemnation of the Pahalgam attack. “We call for the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay,” the statement read, urging all UN member states to “cooperate actively” with relevant authorities under international law and applicable UNSC resolutions.
India has maintained that the attack originated from Pakistan, a position reinforced by the Quad’s call for international cooperation to ensure justice is served. In the wake of the attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on 7 May, carrying out airstrikes on nine terrorist complexes inside Pakistan, including Bahawalpur and Muridke, headquarters of UN-designated terrorist groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba respectively.
India stoped military action in response to the request from Pakistan on 10 May. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking to the press earlier, stated that “India reserves the right to defend itself against acts of terror” and expects its Quad partners to understand its strategic rationale a sentiment that found clear reflection in the joint statement.
The Quad also took a united stance against China’s increasingly assertive military behaviour across the Indo-Pacific. The ministers voiced deep concern over “dangerous and provocative actions,” highlighting interference with offshore resource development, obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight, and the use of water cannons and ramming tactics in the South China Sea.
Specific reference was made to live-fire exercises by Chinese naval forces in international waters near Australia earlier this year, an incident that alarmed Canberra. Japan and Australia, in particular, have faced heightened military pressure from Beijing.
“These actions threaten peace and stability in the region,” the joint statement warned, sending a clear signal to China about the Quad’s unified stance against coercive maritime behaviour.
In addressing both terrorism and regional security, the Quad summit has not only reaffirmed its counterterrorism commitment but also bolstered India’s position in the face of cross-border terror and strategic challenges, signalling a notable diplomatic win for New Delhi.
