India, Brazil, and South Africa have united in a call for decisive global action against UN-designated terror groups, including Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
The demand was made by the foreign ministers of the three countries during a joint statement issued on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly's 79th session in New York on Thursday.
The statement, delivered by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, alongside his Brazilian and South African counterparts, Mauro Vieira and Ronald Lamola, urged international cooperation in tackling terrorism, with a focus on dismantling terror safe havens across the world.
This joint declaration was made under the India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum, a tripartite grouping of major democracies in the developing world, originally founded in 2003.
The three countries, all part of the BRICS grouping, called for more robust counter-terrorism measures targeting groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS/Daesh, LeT, JeM, and their proxy entities.
"They concurred that terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought, and that terrorist safe havens eliminated in every part of the world… The ministers called for concerted actions against all UN-listed terrorists and terrorist entities," the joint statement read.
This strong stance comes just days after Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, during an election rally in Jammu and Kashmir, declared that no dialogue with Pakistan would be considered until terrorism is eradicated.
Global counter-terrorism framework demanded
IBSA’s joint statement pressed for the establishment of a comprehensive international framework aimed at preventing cross-border terrorist movement, cutting financial support to terrorist networks, and ensuring that states hosting terror groups are held accountable.
The countries also emphasised the importance of “upholding independent foreign policies,” referencing their collective voice in advocating for the interests of the Global South.
The IBSA trio are key players on the world stage, representing their regions in global institutions such as the G20, where India held the presidency in 2023, Brazil holding it in 2024, while South Africa will take over in 2025.
Broader security reforms
The joint statement also addressed ongoing global conflicts, including those in Ukraine and Gaza. The ministers expressed concern for civilian casualties and highlighted the need for all parties in armed conflicts to respect humanitarian principles.
“The ministers recalled that all parties to armed conflicts must respect and protect civilians and take constant care to spare civilian objects, in compliance with the humanitarian principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution,” the statement read.
Further, the IBSA trio stressed the importance of diplomacy, dialogue, and conflict mediation as primary tools for achieving peace.
Push for UNSC Reforms
The demand for reforms to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was once again brought to the forefront.
India, Brazil, and South Africa, all strong contenders for permanent seats on the UNSC, reiterated that global governance structures must be reformed to ensure equitable representation from the Global South.
The ministers reaffirmed that reforming the UNSC would allow "countries from the Global South to meaningfully participate in global decision-making in multilateral institutions."
Formed to enhance cooperation among developing democracies, IBSA has, since its inception, sought to amplify its bargaining power in international forums.
However, the grouping’s progress slowed between 2011 and 2017, when no ministerial meetings took place. In recent years, IBSA has regained momentum, consistently reiterating its commitment to combating terrorism in all forms.
This year’s statement marked the first time specific terror outfits, such as LeT and JeM, were named as targets of international counter-terrorism efforts.
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