India’s political leadership marked the anniversary of the 2001 attack on Parliament on Saturday, with leaders across party lines paying tribute to the security personnel who were killed while defending the legislature in one of the country’s most serious terror strikes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the tributes at Parliament, joined by Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Congress parliamentary party chair Sonia Gandhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and other senior lawmakers. The ceremony brought together members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the opposition, reflecting the attack’s enduring place in India’s national memory.

The December 13, 2001 assault left 14 people dead, including security personnel and a civilian, after militants attempted to storm the Parliament complex. The attack prompted a sweeping security overhaul and triggered a prolonged military standoff between India and Pakistan.

In a statement on social media, Modi said the nation would always remember the courage and sacrifice of those who gave their lives to protect the country’s democratic institutions. Leaders from across the political spectrum echoed that sentiment, describing the attack as an assault on India’s sovereignty and constitutional order.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who paid tribute earlier in the day, called the Parliament the “temple of democracy” and said the sacrifices made by security forces during the attack would remain a source of national resolve.

The annual commemoration comes amid heightened political polarization in India, but the remembrance ceremony has consistently served as one of the few occasions that draws public expressions of unity across parties.

Security at Parliament remains among the tightest in the country, shaped in large part by lessons drawn from the 2001 attack, which exposed vulnerabilities and reshaped how India protects its core democratic institutions.