Rajnath urges ASEAN nations to support India's fight against terrorism

Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday urged the ASEAN nations and the international community to support India's fight against terrorism.

Delivering the valedictory address at the 4th India-ASEAN Expo and Summit here, Singh said an environment of peace and security are prerequisites for trade and commerce to flourish.

"This summit must acknowledge the fact and ensure that the soil of any country should not be used for propagating terrorism," he said, appealing to the ASEAN countries and other nations to support India's fight against terrorism.

Referring to the "gruesome cowardly" terrorist attack in Pulwama, where 40 CRPF jawans were killed, the home minister said there exists immense potential to strengthen and deepen cooperation in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, violent extremism and radicalisation through information sharing, law enforcement cooperation and capacity building and anti-money laundering and countering terror-financing.

Talking on the trade potential between India and the ASEAN nations, Singh said more than half of India's foreign trade now goes to the East.

The home minister called for increased people-to-people contact, connectivity and trade ties with the ASEAN nations.

"Strengthening India's economic relations with the countries in the East is one of the main objectives of India's 'Act East Policy'," he said.

"Our engagement with ASEAN has acquired a new dimension with our Prime Minister's vision to 'Act East'," he added.

The home minister underlined that trade and investment is a key aspect of India-ASEAN partnership and, over the past decade, trade and investment relations between India and ASEAN have continued to improve.

Total bilateral trade has increased more than threefold from USD 21 billion in 2005-06 to USD 81.33 billion in 2017-18. ASEAN has emerged as the second largest trade partner of India in 2017-18, with a share of 10.58 per cent in India's overall trade, he said.

Singh said the government has given boost to infrastructure in the Northeast, India's gateway to the ASEAN.

"The Northeast being the major land bridge to ASEAN nations, enhanced connectivity will also ensure the economic integration and development of Northeast region of India. India and Myanmar are also in the process of setting up Border Haats at their respective borders to facilitate trade and people-to-people connect. The ICP (Integrated Check-Post) at Moreh has also been opened in January, 2019," he said.