Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 27 recalled the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States and paid tribute to the victims, noting that Indians constituted the highest number of victims after Americans.
Speaking during the September episode of his monthly Mann Ki Baat programme, Modi said 2026 marks 25 years since the attacks that targeted the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Virginia. He said the occasion was a reminder of the innocent lives lost during the attacks and expressed condolences to the families of those who were killed.
Modi also recalled his visit to New York in 2014 after becoming Prime Minister, when he paid homage to the victims of the attacks. His remarks came as the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks is being observed in the United States and around the world.
According to official US figures cited by Indian media, the September 11 attacks killed 2,977 people. Four commercial aircraft were hijacked during the attacks. Two aircraft were flown into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York, another struck the Pentagon, while the fourth crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, after passengers and crew attempted to regain control of the aircraft.
In the same address, Modi also spoke about India’s experience with terrorism and recalled the 2008 serial blasts in Delhi and the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. He linked the discussion to the upcoming 10th anniversary of the September 2016 surgical strikes, saying India had adopted a stronger approach towards counter-terrorism over the past decade.
The Prime Minister said the September 2016 operation marked an important moment in India’s counter-terrorism policy. He also referred to subsequent operations and India’s stated policy of responding firmly to terrorist attacks.
The 9/11 attacks remain one of the most consequential terrorist attacks in modern history, with their impact extending beyond the United States and influencing international counter-terrorism and security policies for years afterwards. Modi’s latest remarks placed the Indian victims and their families among those being remembered on the 25th anniversary of the tragedy.