'Condemnation of terrorism must spring from unwavering principle rather than shifting convenience,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi told BRICS counterparts on Sunday, taking aim at what he described as Western 'double standards' after Washington’s recent overtures to Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Speaking during a summit discussion on peace, security and global‑governance reform, the Prime Minister declared, “Condemning terrorism should be our principle, not just a convenience. If we first see in which country the attack took place, against whom, then it would be a betrayal against humanity.”
Without naming the United States or Donald Trump, Modi’s remarks were widely read as a riposte to the President’s claim that he had brokered the April cease‑fire between India and Pakistan after meeting Munir in Washington.
Modi pressed the five‑nation bloc to deal firmly with extremist violence: “There should be no hesitation in imposing sanctions against terrorists. Victims and supporters of terrorism cannot be weighed on the same scale… Giving silent consent to terrorism, supporting terror or terrorists, should not be acceptable under any circumstances.”
The remarks followed India’s recent trauma in Jammu and Kashmir, where a terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April claimed 26 lives. “Terrorism is among the most serious challenges facing humanity. Recently, India faced an inhuman and cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam. This was an attack on all of humanity,” the Prime Minister said.
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Reform of world bodies
Terrorism, Modi argued, was inseparable from the need to overhaul international decision‑making. Global institutions fashioned in the last century, he said, still marginalised the Global South, “World bodies without the Global South are like phones without SIM cards.”
India, holding the current BRICS presidency, has floated proposals to expand the bloc’s development bank and open permanent seats for Africa and Latin America on a reformed UN Security Council. These ideas drew a cautious welcome from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, while China’s Xi Jinping called for “greater solidarity and mutual respect” in the face of “hegemonic bullying”.
Joint BRICS rebuke over Pahalgam assault
The BRICS nations - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, issued a joint declaration denouncing the Pahalgam massacre and reinforcing their pledge to combat terrorism in all forms.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April 2025, during which 26 people were killed and many more injured,” the joint statement read. “We urge to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism and reject double standards in countering terrorism.”
The bloc reaffirmed that terrorism must not be linked to any religion, nationality, or ethnic group. It further called for holding terrorists and their backers accountable irrespective of their motives and pressed for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the United Nations framework.
The declaration also welcomed the continuing work of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group and its five sub-groups, with a pledge to strengthen cooperation on shared counter-terrorism objectives.
Modi closed his remarks by asserting India’s historical commitment to peace. “India will continue to pursue the path of peace, inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Buddha. No matter how difficult the circumstances, peace remains the best path for the welfare of humanity.”
Later, on X, the PM reaffirmed India’s position. “At the Session on ‘Peace and Security and Reform of Global Governance’ during the BRICS Summit, reiterated India’s commitment to the values of peace and brotherhood. After all, world peace and security are the foundations of our shared interests and future.”
Earlier in the session, he had also called for structural changes in global governance, saying the Global South remained a “victim of double standards” in development and security frameworks. He urged BRICS to push for more equitable representation of developing nations in international institutions.
Diplomats said New Delhi’s sharper tone on terrorism reflected frustration with Washington’s engagement of Islamabad after the Kashmir cease‑fire. A senior Indian official, speaking on background, said Trump’s meeting with Munir “sent the wrong message at a delicate time”.
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