BRICS Summit: PM Modi slams Pakistan, Unanimity over combating terrorism

Combating cross-border terrorism and its supporters will be a key priority for BRICS, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday announcing decisions taken by top leaders of the five-nation influential grouping at its annual summit in Goa.

In his concluding remarks at the BRICS summit, Modi said it was agreed at the summit that those who nurture, shelter, support and sponsor forces of violence and terror are as much a “threat to us” as terrorists themselves and efforts must be speeded up to deal with the menace.

This is seen as a boost to India’s stand on the issue as it has been pitching for isolation of Pakistan for its ‘terror export’.

Modi said the leaders were unanimous in recognising the threat that terror, extremism and radicalization present to regional and global peace, stability and economic prosperity.

“We underscored the need for close coordination on tracking sources of terrorist financing and target the hardware of terrorism, including weapons’ supplies, ammunition, equipment and training,” he said.

He said there was unanimity in recognising the threat that terrorism, extremism and radicalisation presents and BRICS leaders expressed commitment to strengthen consultations and cooperation on matters of security.

“We underscored the need for close coordination on tracking sources of terrorist financing,” he said.

On key agenda of the grouping, Modi said putting the global economy back on track was another focus point of the deliberations, adding the discussions at the summit were “detailed, substantive and productive”.

The Prime Minister said there was deliberations on possibility of setting up an independent BRICS Rating Agency based on market-oriented principles, in order to further strengthen the global governance architecture.

Modi said the Goa declaration lays a comprehensive vision for cooperation within BRICS and international issues.

The Prime Minister said there was also a clear need to build norms, create structures and pool capacities to stop tax evasion, and fight against black money and corruption.