New Delhi: India and the United States held the 21st Meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism and the 7th Designations Dialogue in New Delhi, reinforcing their commitment to deepen cooperation under the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.
The Indian delegation was led by Dr. Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs, while the U.S. side was headed by Ms. Monica Jacobsen, Senior Bureau Official, U.S. Department of State’s Counterterrorism Bureau.
Condemnation of Terrorism & Emerging Tech Threats
Both nations unequivocally condemned terrorism in all forms, including cross-border terrorism, and expressed grave concern over the increasing use of UAVs, drones, and artificial intelligence for terror activities.
They strongly condemned the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack and the November 10, 2025, terror incident near Delhi’s Red Fort, calling for perpetrators to be brought to justice without delay.
Focus on Technology, Training, and Law Enforcement
The meeting reviewed a wide range of traditional and emerging terror threats, including recruitment and radicalization, terror financing and misuse of technology, and cyber threats, including drone-based attacks.
Both sides discussed expanding cooperation through training programs, cybersecurity collaboration, sharing best practices and intelligence, and strengthening law enforcement and judicial coordination, including mutual legal assistance.
Push for Stronger Global Actions
Reaffirming their commitment to multilateral frameworks such as the UN, Quad, and FATF, the delegations called for additional UN 1267 sanctions against ISIS and al-Qa’ida affiliates, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and their proxy networks, sponsors, financiers, and backers.
India welcomed the U.S. State Department’s recent designation of The Resistance Front (TRF), a LeT proxy, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), a move reflecting growing Indo-US counterterrorism convergence.
Both sides agreed to convene the next JWG on Counter Terrorism and Designations Dialogue in the United States on mutually agreed dates.
