India-Saudi Arabia condemn Pulwama Terrorist attack in strongest term

In a joint statement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman have condemned, in the strongest terms, the recent terrorist attack on Indian forces in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Prime Minister and His Royal Highness condemned in the strongest terms, the recent terrorist attack on Indian security forces on 14 February 2019 in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir", read the joint statement.

India-Saudi Arabia joint statement during the state visit of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia to India also said that the two sides stressed the importance of regional stability and good neighbouring relations.

The Saudi Prince has appreciated consistent efforts made by Prime Minister Modi since May 2014 including Prime Minister's personal initiatives to have friendly relations with Pakistan.

"In this context, both sides agreed on the need for creation of conditions necessary for the resumption of the comprehensive dialogue between India and Pakistan," the joint statement outlined.

Affirming that the menace of extremism and terrorism threatens all nations and societies, the two sides rejected any attempt to link this universal phenomenon to any particular race, religion or culture. Both sides called on all states to reject the use of terrorism against other countries; dismantle terrorism infrastructures where they happen to exist and to cut off any kind of support and financing to the terrorists perpetrating terrorism from all territories against other states; and bring perpetrators of acts of terrorism to justice.

In the joint statement, the two sides also noted the need for concerted action by the international community against terrorism including through early adoption of the UN Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism and underlined the importance of comprehensive sanctioning of terrorists and their organisations by the UN.

Both India and Saudi Arabia called upon all countries to renounce the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. They also called upon all states to deny access to weapons including missiles and drones to commit terrorist acts against other countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Saudi prince had held bilateral talks earlier in the day where the visiting dignitary, MBS, described terrorism as a "common concern". The Saudi Crown Prince said his country is ready to extend all kinds of cooperation to India in fighting the scourge but made no mention of the ghastly Pulwama terror attack carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit last week.

Saudi Crown Prince's two-day visit comes nearly three years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Riyadh in April 2016. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad-bin Salman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday on his maiden visit to the country and was warmly received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport.