India and Israel Reaffirm Zero-Tolerance Counter-Terrorism Stance at 10th JWG Meeting
India and Israel held their 10th Joint Working Group meeting on counter-terrorism in New Delhi on 24 February 2026, reaffirming their strategic partnership and unequivocal commitment to combating terrorism in all forms.
The 10th India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism convened in New Delhi under the leadership of Dr. Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) from India's Ministry of External Affairs, and Mr. Nadav Eschar, Head of Bureau at Israel's Strategic Affairs Division. The meeting reflected the deepening institutional architecture of the India-Israel Strategic Partnership, with both delegations emphasizing the critical importance of bilateral cooperation in addressing transnational terrorist threats. The timing of this meeting—held in February 2026—underscores persistent security challenges facing both nations, particularly following recent high-profile terror attacks that have galvanized coordinated responses.
Both sides explicitly condemned specific terror incidents that have shaped their bilateral security agenda: the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India. These references signal that India and Israel remain aligned on threat assessment and accountability frameworks. The counter-terrorism partnership sits within the broader India-Israel relationship that extends across multiple sectors, reflecting Delhi's sustained strategic engagement with Tel Aviv. This institutional JWG mechanism has now reached its tenth iteration, indicating a mature, institutionalized approach to security cooperation that transcends individual political administrations or diplomatic cycles.
Analysts should monitor whether the JWG's reaffirmation of 'zero tolerance' principles translates into concrete operational measures—including intelligence sharing protocols, joint training exercises, or expanded law enforcement cooperation. The joint statement's emphasis on holding 'perpetrators of these heinous acts accountable' signals potential coordination on designating terrorist organizations and pursuing transnational investigations. Watch for implementation announcements at subsequent bilateral engagements, particularly during high-level visits, which may yield formalized agreements on specific counter-terrorism mechanisms. The next decision point will likely emerge during the 11th JWG meeting or through other diplomatic channels, where substantive measures addressing cross-border terrorism coordination could be unveiled.