Quad urges action against perpetrators of Pahalgam terror attack with no delay

By Anjali Sharma

WASHINGTON – Quad group of nations – India, US, Japan and Australia on Wednesday held a foreign ministerial level meeting in Washington D.C., have condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in the strongest terms, and called to bring g the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of the assault to justice without any delay.

They also reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, and opposed any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.

India External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong attended the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington.

The meeting focused on a wide range of regional and global issues, including counterterrorism efforts.

The Quad members unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms.

The joint statement released after the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting said, “The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and renews our commitment to counterterrorism cooperation.”

“We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while injuring several others. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift and full recovery to all those injured,” the statement said.

“We call for the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay and urge all UN Member States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant UNSCRs, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard,” it said.

The Foreign ministers of the Quad met in Washington on Tuesday to reaffirm their steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“We underscore our commitment to defending the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. As four leading maritime nations in the Indo-Pacific, we are united in our conviction that peace and stability in the maritime domain underpin the security and prosperity of the region. We are committed to a region where all countries are free from coercion and strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion,” the statement said.

QUAD leaders discussed the opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific and how they canharness the strengths and resources of the Quad to advance peace, security and prosperity, working with the regional partners.

“We discussed the opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific and how to further harness the strengths and resources of the Quad to advance peace, security, and prosperity, working with our regional partners. To ensure the Quad’s enduring impact, we are pleased to announce today a new, ambitious, and strong agenda focused on four key areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technology, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. Through this renewed focus, we will sharpen the Quad’s ability to leverage our resources to address the region’s most pressing challenges,” the statement said.

“As we advance our shared objectives for the region, our cooperation with and support for ASEAN and its centrality and unity, the Pacific Islands Forum and Pacific-led regional groupings, and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) remain unwavering,” it said.

Foreign ministers also expressed concern about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea.

“We remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East China Sea and South China Sea. We reiterate our strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion.

“We express our serious concerns regarding dangerous and provocative actions, including interference with offshore resource development, the repeated obstruction of the freedoms of navigation and over flight and the dangerous maneuvers by military aircraft and coast guard and maritime militia vessels, especially the unsafe use of water cannons and ramming or blocking actions in the South China Sea,” the statement said.

The statement noted that “These actions threaten peace and stability in the region. We are seriously concerned by the militarization of disputed features. We emphasize the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea, and unimpeded commerce consistent with international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”

“We affirm that maritime disputes must be resolved peacefully and in accordance with international law, and reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016 is a significant milestone and the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties,” the statement concluded.