Modi calls for comprehensive response to terrorism at BRICS plenary

Without mentioning Pakistan, he said selective approaches to terrorist individuals and organisations would not only be futile but also counter-productive

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for a comprehensive response to the scourge of terrorism, the reach of which, he said, is now global.

Addressing the BRICS plenary meeting here, Modi said that terrorism "has grown more lethal and adept at the use of technology".

"Our response to terrorism must, therefore, be nothing less than comprehensive. And, we need to act both individually and collectively," he said.

Without mentioning Pakistan, the Prime Minister said that selective approaches to terrorist individuals and organisations would not only be futile but also counter-productive.

"There must be no distinction based on artificial and self-serving grounds," he said.

Modi's remarks come after last month's cross-border terror attack on an army camp at Uri in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers.

India has blamed the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed for the wanton attack.

New Delhi has since launched a diplomatic blitz to isolate Islamabad in the international community while the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

At Sunday's BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) plenary, Modi said that criminality should be the only basis for punitive action against terrorist individuals and organisations.

"Terrorist funding, their weapons supply, training and political support must be systematically cut off," he said.

"In this respect, we need to deepen the security cooperation between our National Security Advisors."

He also called for early adoption of the draft India-initiated Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the UN.

The Prime Minister also said that the footprint of intra-BRICS engagement has expanded to include large areas of economic activity.

"The scope of our partnership today stretches from agriculture to industry and innovation; trade to tourism; environment to energy; films to football; skill development to smart cities; and from fighting corruption and money laundering to securing our societies," Modi stated.