Quad foreign ministers unite to condemn Pahalgam terror attack, urge swift justice

Foreign ministers of the Quad grouping have jointly condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, in which 25 Indian tourists and one Nepali citizen were killed.

Meeting in Washington, the ministers issued a statement calling for the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of the attack to be brought to justice without delay, urging all UN member states to cooperate under international law.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who attended the meeting, said the world must “display zero tolerance” towards terrorism.

“Victims and perpetrators must never be equated. India has every right to defend its people against terrorism,” he said, referencing India’s military response in the form of Operation Sindoor.

While the statement did not name Pakistan directly, it condemned cross-border terrorism and underscored the need for holding those responsible accountable — language consistent with India’s past accusations of Pakistan’s support for terrorist activities.

The Pahalgam attack, which targeted a tourist bus, led to escalated tensions between India and Pakistan earlier this year, culminating in military exchanges that ended with a ceasefire on May 10.

The attack drew international criticism, and India launched targeted strikes on terror infrastructure shortly after.

At the Washington meeting, the Quad foreign ministers also discussed a wide range of regional and global challenges, including maritime security, humanitarian crises in Myanmar, North Korea’s missile testing, and efforts to counter disinformation.

They also announced a new initiative to strengthen the supply chain for critical minerals — part of the broader Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

This was the first Quad foreign ministers’ meeting since India’s Operation Sindoor, and it reaffirmed the four countries' commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific.