India raises issue of terrorism at all meetings on UN General Assembly sidelines

India raised the issue of terrorism at every fora on the sidelines of the 72nd United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is representing India, attended the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) council of ministers meet, the annual meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Foreign Ministers, the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) foreign ministers' meet and the SAARC (South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation) ministerial meet on Wednesday.

In all the meetings attended by Sushma Swaraj the issue of terrorism affecting South Asia was raised. Without naming Pakistan, the External Affairs Minister mentioned the problem of certain countries providing "shelter" and "support" to terror groups in South Asia and using "terrorism as an instrument of state policy".

After the BRICS Summit that was held in Xiamen, China where the names of Pak-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad were named in the joint declaration, Sushma Swaraj reiterated the "need for collective efforts to disrupt terrorist networks, their financing and movement".

BRICS Press Release: Ministers reiterated their strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

- Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 21, 2017

In her speech at the annual ministerial meeting on Sunday she said, "The horror of terrorism continues to haunt global peace and security. Terror groups continue to draw sustenance from support systems, including those based in South Asia. They continue to find support and shelter in countries which use terrorism as an instrument of State Policy."

India has been pushing for an early conclusion of negotiations and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) in the United Nations. The Indian External Affairs Minister urged the international community to look at the urgency in adopting CCIT to fight the menace of terrorism.

In the presence of China both at the BRICS and the SCO forum, the need for jointly fighting terrorism was mentioned. At the SCO meet she said, "We are determined to consistently strengthen cooperation within the SCO framework and to work together to seek comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security.

In this regard, commitment towards continued discussion on regional security architecture in the region under the framework of the SCO and SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure is of great significance. It will contribute to achieving long-term development and common prosperity of the region."

EAM @SushmaSwaraj: Terrorist funding, their weapons supply, training and political support must be systematically cut off. #BRICS

- Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 21, 2017

Even the IBSA meeting focussed on global and regional security. A Ministry of External Affairs statement read, "The ministers underscored that terrorism is a grave challenge to international peace and security. they called for a comprehensive and determined international action including strengthening of international normative regime through the early conclusion and adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism to address this menace."

Even at the SAARC ministerial meet, India raised the issue of terrorism. All SAARC member nations had boycotted the summit level meeting to be held in Pakistan in 2016 till Pakistan didn't "dismantle" its terror infrastructure.

India is determined to use all international platforms to raise the issue of terrorism and the fact the Pakistan as a state has been supporting terror outfits. The External Affairs Minister is to deliver her speech at the UNGA on Saturday and sources tell India Today that there will be a strong pitch by India to fight this menace and take action against those nations that use terrorism as "an instrument of state policy".