Countries backing terrorism should be dealt with iron fist: Modi at BRICS Summit 

NEW DELHI:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, in a veiled attack on Pakistan, said terrorism is the biggest challenge the world faces today and countries supporting and sponsoring it must be dealt with an iron fist.

“Terrorism is the biggest problem the world is facing today. We must tackle the problem in an organised way and have to ensure that the countries that support and assist the terrorists are also held guilty,” the PM said while speaking at the 12th BRICS Summit virtually.

Modi said the finalisation of the BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy is an important achievement and proposed that the National Security Advisers of the member countries discuss a counter-terrorism action plan.

The summit, hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was attended by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chinese President XI Jinping.

Modi and Xi shared the stage for the second time in weeks following their participation at the SCO Heads of State meeting last week, where the two leaders came face-to-face for the first time since the flare-up in tensions along the LAC. Modi, at the SCO meeting, had urged respect for the territorial and sovereign integrity of states.

Pitching the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ programme, Modi said that a self-reliant India would prove to be a force multiplier for the world in a post-Covid-19 world. 

“India’s vaccine production and delivery capacity will also work in interest of humanity to tackle Covid the crisis,” he said. Saying that this year’s theme for the summit was relevant as well as far-sighted, Modi called for reforms in the UN and other global institutions.

“As a founder member of the UN, India is committed to its values. However, the body has not adapted with times,” the PM said.