State sponsorship terrorism biggest threat says PM Modi
MALE : State sponsorship of terrorism is the biggest threat the world is facing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an address at the Maldivian Parliament today, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
PM Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Maldives – his first overseas visit after returning to power – also called for the world community to unite to combat against terrorism and radicalisation.
“Terrorism is a danger not just for a country but the entire civilization. State sponsored terrorism is the biggest threat today. It is important for the world community to come together to fight the challenge of terrorism and radicalisation,” he said.
At the Maldivian Parliament, also known as the Majlis, PM Modi said it is extremely unfortunate that people are still making the mistake of distinguishing between good terrorists and bad terrorists. “The water is now rising above the head,” PM Modi added. “Combating terrorism and radicalisation is the most accurate test of the leadership in the world,” he said.
India has blamed Pakistan for carrying out terrorist attacks in the country and asked it to stop supporting terror outfits operating from its soil. Relations with Pakistan – wobbling since the terror strike at Uri in 2016 – took a nosedive after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist killed 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on February 14.
Days later, India conducted air-strikes on a Jaish camp in Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26. The Pakistan Air Force struck back, targeting civilian and military installations in India and captured Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.
Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has written to PM Modi saying he wants talks to resolve all reconcilable problems, including the Kashmir issue, a Pakistani media report said on Friday. The report came a day after India said there will be no bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of a regional summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek next week.
Over the last few years, India has refused any initiative for talks, contending that cross-border terror has to stop before talks can begin.
Meanwhile, Narendra Modi on Saturday was conferred with the Maldives’ highest honour “Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen” during his first bilateral visit to the island nation in the second term. The PM held wide-ranging talks with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and signed six agreements to strengthen bilateral ties in a number of key areas including defence and maritime.
Modi, along with President Solih, will jointly inaugurate two key projects – the Coastal Surveillance Radar System and the Composite Training Centre of the Maldives National Defence Forces – with an eye on China’s pro-active moves in the Indian Ocean region. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale had described the two as “important projects”, valued at about Rs 180 crore, which will be remotely inaugurated by the two leaders.
Besides this, Modi will travel to Sri Lanka later in the day where he will review the progress on a key trilateral MoU which India, Japan and Sri Lanka have signed – the development of the East Container Terminal in Colombo, located just about 3 km away from the China-supported “port city”, which is being built on reclaimed land.
President Solih thanked the Indian side for providing capacity building support to Maldivian security forces. The two leaders also agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean Region, and to strengthen coordination in enhancing maritime security in the region, through coordinated patrolling and aerial surveillance, exchange of information, and capacity building.(With Agency Inputs ).
