India will never compromise with terrorist forces: Manmohan

India will never compromise with terrorist forces and will deal with the menace unitedly, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday, condemning the Pulwama terror strike.

The priority is to convey to families of those who have been killed and those seriously injured that "we are with them in condemning this act of terrorism", Singh said at a press conference along with Congress president Rahul Gandhi, and senior leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and A K Antony.

"We shall never compromise with terrorist forces. Whatever the country requires, we will work together as one united nation to deal with this menace of terrorism," he said.

Singh said terrorism is a scourge and was something with which India can never compromise.

"As the Congress president said, today is not a day to raise contentious issues. Our role today is to convey to our soldiers, their families, our heartfelt condolences...We will do all that is necessary to keep this country united in support of anti-terrorist measures," he said.

On Thursday, an explosives laden truck rammed into a CRPF convoy in Pulwama outside Srinagar, killing at least 40 soldiers in one of the biggest terror attacks in recent years.