India and Argentina should come together to fight terrorism: Kovind

India and Argentina should come "together, firmly and decisively" to destroy and defeat terrorism, President Ram Nath Kovind said Monday as he welcomed his Argentine counterpart Mauricio Macri at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Macri was welcomed in a traditional ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning.

Later, in his banquet speech, Kovind underlined the rich traditional friendship between the two countries which goes beyond the Tabla and the Tango.

He also referred to interactions between Rabindranath Tagore and Argentine writer Victoria Ocampo during the Bengali poet's visit in 1924, the respect commanded by Mahatma Gandhi in Argentina and San Martin in India, skills of football superstars Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi which captivate soccer lovers of India and sporting rivalry on the hockey turf.

During his speech, Kovind said, "...Terrorism poses the gravest threat to humanity today. As long-standing friends and as trusted partners, we must come together, firmly and decisively, to destroy and defeat terrorism, to protect our present and to secure our future."