India and Egypt Deepen Counter-Terrorism Cooperation, Reaffirm Zero Tolerance Towards Terror Networks

India and Egypt have renewed their commitment to a firm and coordinated fight against terrorism, underlining that terror activities in any form, including cross-border terrorism, must be condemned without ambiguity. The commitment was reiterated during the 5th meeting of the India-Egypt Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, held in New Delhi on May 20, 2026.

The meeting reflected the growing strength of the India-Egypt Strategic Partnership, especially in the area of security cooperation. Both sides strongly rejected any attempt to associate terrorism with religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnicity, making it clear that terrorism must be treated as a criminal and security threat rather than a cultural or religious issue. This position is significant because both India and Egypt have long faced the challenge of extremist networks, radicalisation, terror financing and transnational security threats.

A key message from the dialogue was accountability. India and Egypt strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April 2025, as well as the terror incident near Red Fort in New Delhi in November 2025. Both countries stressed that those involved in terrorist acts, including their supporters, financiers and backers, must be identified, prosecuted and brought to justice.

Egypt also reaffirmed its solidarity with India in confronting terrorism aimed at weakening the country’s security and stability. This expression of support adds diplomatic weight to India’s long-standing position that terrorism cannot be justified, sponsored or shielded under any political excuse. For New Delhi, such partnerships are important because they strengthen the international consensus against terror infrastructure, proxy groups and cross-border networks.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in major multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, BRICS, the Financial Action Task Force, the Global Counterterrorism Forum and other international mechanisms. India and Egypt reiterated their support for the early finalisation and adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, a long-pending global framework that India has consistently pushed for.

The discussions went beyond traditional terrorism and focused on emerging threats. Both countries reviewed the misuse of technology by terrorist groups, including online recruitment, cyber tools, terror financing networks, drones, unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence. The concern over drones and AI is especially relevant in modern security planning, as terrorist groups are increasingly attempting to use low-cost technologies for surveillance, propaganda, fundraising and attacks.

India and Egypt also explored ways to strengthen practical cooperation through training, capacity building, cybersecurity collaboration, judicial cooperation, information sharing and exchange of best practices. These areas are crucial because counter-terrorism today is not limited to battlefield operations. It also requires intelligence coordination, digital monitoring, financial tracking, legal cooperation and rapid response mechanisms.

The next meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism will be held in Egypt. The New Delhi meeting shows that India and Egypt are not merely issuing diplomatic statements, but are steadily building a structured security partnership that addresses both old and new forms of terrorism. At a time when terror groups are adapting to technology, finance networks and proxy warfare, the India-Egypt partnership sends a clear message: terrorism will find less space when responsible nations coordinate, share intelligence and act together.