Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi

India and Egypt have reaffirmed and significantly strengthened their joint commitment to combating terrorism following the 4th Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, held in Cairo on April 30, 2025.

The meeting, led by Ambassador K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and Ambassador Walid Al-Fiqi, Director of the Department of Counter Terrorism at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, included representatives from multiple agencies of both nations.

During the session, both countries strongly condemned the recent heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which targeted domestic and international tourists. Egypt reiterated its full support for India in confronting all forms of violence and terrorism aimed at undermining the country's security and stability. The delegations exchanged assessments of terror threats in their respective countries and regions, emphasising the need for unified action against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

A key focus of the discussions was on addressing new and emerging challenges in the counter-terrorism domain. Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in combating the use of technology for terrorist purposes, including the financing of terrorism via cryptocurrencies, the deployment of unmanned aerial systems, and the misuse of cyberspace for spreading terrorist propaganda. There was a shared commitment to strengthen bilateral efforts in anti-money laundering, tackling drug trafficking, and fighting organised crime.

Further, India and Egypt agreed to deepen collaboration in training and capacity building, cyber security, and the application of artificial intelligence for counter-terrorism purposes. The exchange of best practices and timely information sharing were also prioritised to improve operational effectiveness.

On the multilateral front, both countries discussed enhancing cooperation within international frameworks such as the United Nations, BRICS, the Global Counter Terrorism Forum (GCTF), and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). They exchanged views on making the GCTF more effective and reiterated their commitment to the early finalisation and adoption of the United Nations Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).

The meeting concluded with an agreement to hold the next session of the Joint Working Group in India at a mutually convenient date, underscoring the sustained momentum in India-Egypt counter-terrorism cooperation.

ANI