India, Japan condemn Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism, call for action against terror safe havens

India and Japan on Thursday issued a sharp, unequivocal condemnation of cross-border terrorism originating from Pakistan, demanding immediate global action to dismantle state-supported safe havens and financing channels.

According to the joint statement released following the bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in New Delhi on 2 July, the two nations took a firm, unified stand against the rising threat of terrorism in South Asia.

The joint statement condemned in the strongest terms last year's terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, taking note of the United Nations Security Council Monitoring Team Report that implicated The Resistance Front (TRF).

“The two Prime Ministers unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. They condemned in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April 2025, and took note of the United Nations Security Council Monitoring Team Report of 29 July 2025 mentioning The Resistance Front (TRF),” read the statement.

The leaders also explicitly condemned the deadly 10 November 2025 car bombing near the Red Fort in Delhi, demanding that the perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of these reprehensible acts be brought to justice without delay.

Moving past rhetoric, the prime ministers called for urgent, concerted global actions against all UN-listed terrorist entities and their proxies, specifically naming Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Al Qaeda, and ISIS.

They emphasised that the international community must take resolute measures to completely root out terrorist safe havens, disrupt the nexus between terror financing and transnational crime, and halt the cross-border movement of terrorists.

Additionally, the leaders also addressed acute security flashpoints across Asia and the Middle East, demanding strict accountability for destabilising activities. They expressed grave concerns over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, demanding complete denuclearisation and urging all UN member states to strictly enforce sanctions against arms transfers.

‘Free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz’

Regarding the tensions in the Middle East, the prime ministers highlighted the critical need to secure free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz to maintain stable energy supply chains, while calling for the implementation of a comprehensive plan to rebuild Gaza alongside a guaranteed two-state solution. They additionally voiced support for a lasting peace in Ukraine rooted in the UN Charter.

This comes as part of Takaichi's three-day official visit to India from July 1 to July 3 at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi, during which she participated in the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit, where both leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation and discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Takaichi also attended the India-Japan Business Forum alongside PM Modi.

(With ANI inputs)