BRICS Declares Zero Tolerance for Terrorism After Pahalgam Attack

The BRICS grouping on Saturday once again condemned the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, with China joining the other members in a declaration that called for “zero tolerance” towards terrorism, action against terrorist safe havens and accountability for those involved in terror activities. The reaffirmation, in the New Delhi Declaration adopted at the 18th BRICS Summit, is significant as it comes more than a year after the attack and amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over cross-border terrorism.

Repeated Reference Pahalgam Brics Grouping

The repeated reference to Pahalgam The New Delhi Declaration, however, stops short of attributing the attack to Pakistan or explicitly endorsing India’s subsequent military response.

China — Pakistan’s long-standing strategic partner and a country that has frequently shielded Islamabad at international forums — is again a signatory to the condemnation. This is significant as it comes more than a year after the attack and amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan over cross-border terrorism.

The language in the New Delhi Declaration is almost identical to that adopted in Rio, both documents condemning the April 22, 2025 attack “in the strongest terms”, noting that 26 people were killed, and reaffirming the BRICS commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms.

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More Significantly India Chinas Participation

More significantly for India, China’s participation in the New Delhi Declaration is a significant development. It comes at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are running high over cross-border terrorism. The repeated reference to Pahalgam

China’s participation in the New Delhi Declaration is also notable because it comes more than a year after the attack. Beijing had condemned the Pahalgam attack soon after it happened on April 22, 2025.

At a Chinese Foreign Ministry press conference on April 23, spokesperson Guo Jiakun, responding to a question specifically about the Pahalgam attack, said: “We strongly condemn the attack,” adding that China “firmly opposes all forms of terrorism”. He also expressed condolences to the families of those killed and sympathies to the injured.

However, Beijing took a markedly different diplomatic line when India subsequently launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. While China reiterated that it opposed terrorism, its Foreign Ministry shared it “regretted” India’s military action and called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid steps that could further complicate the situation.

This distinction broadly reflected the international response to the crisis.

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The Pahalgam attack itself attracted unusually wide condemnation, cutting across geopolitical alignments. The UN, G7, European Union and governments across the US, Europe, Gulf, Asia and elsewhere condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with India.

The international response became more nuanced once India responded militarily. Even governments that had strongly condemned Pahalgam generally shifted to calls for restraint, de-escalation and dialogue as India and Pakistan moved towards military confrontation.

The G7, for instance, condemned the Pahalgam attack while simultaneously urging “maximum restraint” from both India and Pakistan and warning that further military escalation threatened regional stability.

India had argued that the military response was a calibrated exercise of its right to self-defence after Pakistan failed to take demonstrable action against the infrastructure behind the attack. Announcing Operation Sindoor, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the strikes were “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible” and targeted terrorist infrastructure rather than Pakistani military targets.