New Delhi |Dec 06, 2025 | BeyondborBersbyJwala
In a strong demonstration of solidarity and shared resolve, senior counter-terrorism officials from India, Japan, Australia, and the United States convened in New Delhi for the 3rd Quad Counterterrorism Working Group (CTWG) meeting on December 4-5, 2025. Hosted by India as part of its rotation ahead of the next Quad Summit, the meeting focused on forging a robust, action-oriented agenda to combat the evolving threat of terrorism in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
The gathering was marked by unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms, including cross-border threats. Quad partners expressed deep condolences for the recent "heinous terror incident" near the Red Fort in Delhi on November 10, 2025, and the April 22, 2025, attack in Pahalgam. They issued a stern call for the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of these acts to be brought to justice, urging full cooperation from all UN Member States.
India Calls for a Resilient and Action-Oriented Quad
In his keynote address, Ambassador Sibi George, Secretary (West), emphasized the urgent need for a common resolve within the Quad to combat the scourge of terrorism. He urged member nations to take necessary steps to transform the CTWG into a "more resilient, robust, and action-oriented Working Group." Ambassador George also thanked the Quad partners for their solidarity and support to India following the Pahalgam attack earlier in the year.
The Indian delegation was led by Dr. Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary for Counter Terrorism at the Ministry of External Affairs, alongside his counterparts from Australia, Japan, and the United States.
Enhancing Operational Preparedness: Tabletop Exercise on Urban Ops
A key highlight of the meeting was a Tabletop Exercise (TTx) focused on "Counter Terrorism Operations in the Urban Environment." This exercise provided a critical platform for counter-terrorism experts from the four nations to share best practices, identify gaps, and explore opportunities for joint operational preparedness in responding to complex terrorist scenarios in densely populated areas.
Addressing Emerging Threats: Drones and Tech-Financing
The discussions also reviewed the outcomes of two specialized workshops hosted by India in September 2025. Organized by the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), these workshops tackled cutting-edge challenges: countering the terrorist use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and preventing the exploitation of new and emerging technologies for terror financing.
Shared Threat Assessment and Future Cooperation
Quad members exchanged detailed assessments of the terrorism threat landscape, with a specific focus on developments within the Indo-Pacific region. They underscored the paramount importance of ensuring an "open and free" Indo-Pacific, untainted by the threats of terrorism.
The partners reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in multilateral fora and emphasized the immense value of continued information sharing regarding terrorists, terrorist organizations, and their proxies. The meeting concluded with a firm commitment to further deepen counter-terrorism cooperation within the Quad framework, with the next CTWG meeting scheduled for 2026.
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