Quad condemns Pathankot, 26/11, denounces terrorism

The Quad leaders on Saturday reiterated their condemnation of the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot terror attacks as they denounced terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms, including cross-border terrorism.

- Rezaul H Laskar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian and Japanese counterparts, Anthony Albanese and Fumio Kishida, and US President Joe Biden met on the margins of the G7 Summit in Hiroshima and said the coalition will work with its regional partners to strengthen the capability to prevent, detect and respond to threats posed by terrorism and violent extremism, consistent with international law.

"We are committed to working together to promote accountability for the perpetrators of such terrorist attacks. We reiterate our condemnation of terrorist attacks, including the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai and in Pathankot, and our commitment to pursuing designations, as appropriate, by the UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee," the Quad leaders said in a joint statement.

The grouping endorsed India's position that this "must not be an era of war". They said the Quad stands for adherence to international law, peaceful resolution of disputes, and respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states.

The Quad Leaders Summit unveiled several new initiatives to boost their collaboration in crucial areas such as telecommunications, including 5G and 6G, critical and emerging technology standards, cybersecurity, including joint principles for secure software, and clean energy supply chains in the Indo-Pacific. Though left unstated, most of these initiatives were aimed at countering China's growing influence in the region.