Cross-border terrorism

In the news

• Rajnath raises U.S. support for Pakistan's F-16 fleet with Hegseth at ADMM-Plus in Cebu 29 October 2026 · The Hindu

  India calls the U.S. a cornerstone partner, yet Washington keeps Pakistan's F-16s flying. Can both be true?

• First BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting adopts Delhi Declaration against cross-border terror 14 October 2026 · The Hindu

  Can a Bay of Bengal grouping built for trade become a working security community?

• At the SCO summit in Bishkek, Modi calls for dismantling the terror ecosystem 2 September 2026 · Indian Express

  India wants a firmer SCO line on cross-border terror, and Pakistan now chairs the grouping. What can India gain?

Key facts

• Rajnath Singh met U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on 28 October 2026 at the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, and raised U.S. support for Pakistan's F-16 fleet. (29 October 2026)
• The $686 million package, notified to the U.S. Congress on 8 December 2025, aims to keep Pakistan's F-16s flying through 2040. (29 October 2026)
• The first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' meeting was held in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 and adopted the Delhi Declaration. (14 October 2026)
• It approved five instruments: a convention against trafficking in persons, plans of action on drug control, illicit financial flows and natural disasters, and an MoU on money laundering and terror financing. (14 October 2026)
• The 26th SCO summit was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on 31 August and 1 September 2026, marking the SCO's 25th anniversary. (2 September 2026)
• Modi called for dismantling the ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens, with no double standards. (2 September 2026)

Previous-year questions

1. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marks India has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development being undertaken in…
2. 2023 · GS2 · 10 marks 'Virus of Conflict is affecting the functioning of the SCO' In the light of the above statement point out the role of India in mitigating the problems.
3. 2022 · GS2 · 10 marks Do you think that BIMSTEC is a parallel organisation like the SAARC? What are the similarities and dissimilarities between the two? How are Indian foreign policy objectives realized by forming this new organisation?
4. 2022 · GS3 · 10 marks Discuss the types of organised crimes. Describe the linkages between terrorists and organised crime that exist at the national and transnational levels.
5. 2021 · GS2 · 15 marks Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. What importance does it hold for India?
6. 2020 · GS2 · 15 marks What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
7. 2025 · Prelims Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC: I. It is a regional organization consisting of seven member States till January 2025. II. It came into existence with the signing of the Dhaka Declaration, 1999…
8. 2022 · Prelims Consider the following: 1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 2. Missile Technology Control Regime 3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. India is a member of which of the above?