The Indian Prime Minister has expressed deep solidarity with Australia after gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing at least 11 people in what officials have declared a terrorist incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly condemned the “ghastly terrorist attack” in Sydney, where two gunmen targeted families celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday (14 December). In a statement issued shortly after the violence at the iconic Bondi Beach, Modi expressed India’s “full solidarity” with the Australian people and repeated New Delhi’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.
The attack, which happened on the first evening of Hanukkah, has left at least 12 people dead, including one of the attackers, and injured 29 others. Australian authorities confirmed that two men dressed in black opened fire on the crowd gathered for the “Chanukah by the Sea” event. Police have declared it a politically motivated terrorist incident, based on the target and the type of weapons used.
In a post on X, Modi called the violence a shock to the global community. “Strongly condemn the ghastly terrorist attack carried out today at Bondi Beach… On behalf of the people of India, I extend my sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones,” he wrote.
“We stand in solidarity with the people of Australia in this hour of grief. India has zero tolerance towards terrorism and supports the fight against all forms and manifestations of terrorism,” Modi said.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also addressed the nation, calling the shooting “an act of evil, antisemitism, and terrorism that has struck the heart of our nation.” He pointed out that the attack deliberately targeted a day meant to be joyful for the Jewish community.
This is the deadliest mass shooting in Australia in nearly three decades, shocking a country known for its strict gun control laws introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. It comes during a reported rise in anti-Semitic incidents globally and within Australia over the past year. One of the gunmen has been identified by local media as Naveed Akram, while the second attacker remains in critical condition under police guard.
Security has been ramped up across major Australian cities, and the National Security Committee has met to assess the threat level. Indian officials are keeping close tabs on the situation to ensure the safety of the Indian diaspora in Sydney, though no Indian casualties have been reported so far.
Also Read / US military kills four in ‘narco-terror’ boat strike amid growing legal scrutiny.
Leave a comment