Prime Minister Modi and President Putin discuss ways to combat terror

Subhashis Mittra

India and Russia have long cooperated in the fight against terrorism. Moscow has been a strong supporter of Delhi’s efforts to combat terrorism and responded strongly after a Pakistan-based terror group, the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), attacked Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam in April. Russia had also backed India during Operation Sindoor—a military response that targeted terrorist bases in Pakistan and parts of Kashmir illegally occupied by it.

The recent visit of President Vladimir Putin to India for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit has catapulted to a higher trajectory their common stand in this regard. Condemning recent attacks in Pahalgam and Moscow, the two countries called for an uncompromising global fight against terrorism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that terrorism is a direct attack on humanity’s values, while President Putin emphasised a ‘zero tolerance’ policy. In the joint statement, delivered from Delhi’s Hyderabad House, the two leaders committed themselves to preventing terror financing and cross-border movement of terrorists.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to str