With the fresh arsenal attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi bestowed on Pakistan with a ‘Mother-ship of terrorism’ at a meeting of the head of state of the five BRICS countries at the ongoing summit in Goa. This was part of his continuing anti-terrorism push at international platforms.
“This country shelters not just terrorists. It nurtures a mindset. A mindset that loudly proclaims that terrorism is justified for political gains. It is a mindset that we strongly condemn… BRICS must speak in one voice against this threat,” PM Modi said.
The Summit is being attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazilian President Michel Temer and Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa.
With the Summit taking place within weeks of the Uri terror strike by Pak-based terrorists, India will strongly pitch for intensified efforts to tackle terrorism including action against countries providing safe havens to terrorists and arming them.
“The growing arc of terrorism today threatens the Middle East, West Asia, Europe and South Asia. Its violent footprints put at risk the security of our citizens and undercuts our efforts aimed at economic growth,” said PM Modi, sitting at a circular table with the presidents of Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.
“In our own region, terrorism poses a grave threat to peace, security and development. Tragically, the mother-ship of terrorism is a country in India’s neighbourhood. Terror modules around the world are linked to this mother-ship,” he summed up.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also attended the meeting.
China, sources said, is open to a strong statement on terrorism, but would not like to cast Beijing’s alliance with Pakistan into doubt. “We are maintaining dialogue with China (on Azhar), we expect China will see logic in it,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup told reporters.
The other nations invited to the BRICS Summit are Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand. Meetings between representatives of these nations were also taken place. The Summit helps member nations of BIMSTEC – Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – in its outreach with BRICS nations. BIMSTEC was launched in 1997.
The BRICS Summit started with a ‘family photo’ followed by restricted talks between the leaders and later a meeting of business captains from the member-countries. In the second half, after the speech of the leaders, there will be BRICS and BIMSTEC retreat.
