India's permanent representative to the United Nations called for the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism during a General Assembly session on July 2, 2026 [1].

The push for this long-pending convention highlights India's effort to establish a globally recognized legal framework to combat terrorism. By urging the international community to move past legislative gridlock, India seeks to standardize the definition of terrorism and streamline global counter-terror cooperation.

Parvathaneni Harish delivered the message in New York, and said that the global community must act decisively to eliminate terror threats [2]. He said that India's perspective is rooted in its own national security challenges and history of instability caused by external actors [3].

"India has been a victim of cross‑border terrorism," Harish said. "This experience has shaped India’s approach of zero‑tolerance for terrorism" [4].

Harish said that the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism remains a critical tool for the UN to coordinate efforts between member states. He said that the lack of a unified convention allows gaps in enforcement and intelligence sharing to persist across borders [3].

Despite the challenges in reaching a consensus among all UN member states, India expressed a willingness to lead through collaboration. Harish said, "India stands ready to work with all Member States to strengthen the global fight against terrorism" [5].

The representative's remarks underscore a strategic shift toward more assertive diplomacy at the UN, as India continues to advocate for a world where no state provides sanctuary to terrorists [1].

“"India has been a victim of cross‑border terrorism."”

India's renewed push for the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism reflects a desire to codify a universal definition of terrorism. Currently, the lack of a single, agreed-upon UN definition allows some nations to distinguish between 'terrorists' and 'freedom fighters,' which India argues creates loopholes that protect perpetrators of cross-border attacks.