India has once again voiced strong solidarity with Israel, saying the country understands the pain of terrorism all too well. Speaking at an event in New Delhi to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India is “too familiar with such mindless brutality,” drawing a clear parallel between the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and India’s own experience with cross-border terrorism.
Misri referred indirectly to the April 2025 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed, to underline India’s long history of facing violence from across its borders. He said this shared experience is why India instinctively empathises with countries that suffer terrorist attacks.
In his address, Misri recalled how India reacted immediately after the 7th October, 2023, assault on Israel, when around 1,200 people were killed, and hundreds were taken hostage. He said New Delhi had strongly condemned the attack and stood firmly with the Israeli people, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement of support in Israel’s fight against terrorism.
The 7th October attack was one of the deadliest in Israel’s history. On that day, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a sudden and coordinated assault from the Gaza Strip. Thousands of rockets were fired, while fighters broke through the border fence at more than 100 points. They entered Israeli territory using motorcycles, trucks, boats and even motorised paragliders.
More than 20 places were targeted, including Israeli kibbutzim, military posts and the Nova music festival. Gunmen went from house to house in several areas, killing civilians. Along with the deaths, about 250 people, including children, elderly people and foreign nationals, were abducted and taken into Gaza, shocking the world.
Linking the present to the past, Misri said Holocaust remembrance carries powerful lessons even today. He reminded the audience that the Holocaust did not begin with killings but with hateful words, exclusion and the gradual silencing of conscience.
Remembering the six million Jews murdered under the Nazi regime, he said, is a moral duty and a reminder of the responsibility to ensure such crimes never happen again. He also paid tribute to Holocaust survivors for choosing resilience despite unimaginable suffering.
Reaffirming India’s stand, Misri said terrorism must be condemned in all its forms. He added that India continues to support sincere efforts to bring peace and stability to West Asia. Referring to recent developments, he said a US-led Gaza Peace Plan has raised hopes, especially after a ceasefire and the release of hostages brought relief to families.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed every year on January 27. According to the United Nations, the date marks the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp in 1945, a moment that stands as a stark reminder of where hatred and silence can lead.
