Modi, Biden crack the whip on Pakistan over terrorism; say it must not let terror originate from its soil
Prime Minister Modi and President Biden unequivocally condemned cross-border terrorism and the use of terrorist proxies. They reiterated the need to hold accountable those responsible for the tragic 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. Dr Krishna Kishore, Asianet News Chief Correspondent in the United States, reports.
FollowIndia and the United States have come out strongly against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. The joint statement released after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden's meeting at the Oval Office in the White House named Pakistan and urged the country to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks.
In the joint statement released after over two-hour-long bilateral discussions, both countries reiterated their relationship as 'one of the closest partners in the world' and condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations.Â
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President Biden and Prime Minister Modi said they stand shoulder to shoulder to counter global terrorism and called for concerted action against all United Nations-listed terrorist groups, including the Al-Qaida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar e-Tayiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and Hizb-ul-Mujhahideen. Â
The two leaders did not mince words in condemning cross-border terrorism, and the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks. They called for the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai and Pathankot attacks to be brought to justice.Â
The increasing use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), drones and information and communication technologies for terrorist purposes is a cause of great concern, Biden and Modi said. The US and India will work together to prevent the misuse of such technologies. Â
India and the United States also called upon the Financial Action Task Force to improve the global implementation of its standards to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
The two sides called for maintaining a 'rules-based international order', saying: "The contemporary global order has been built on principles of the UN Charter, international law, and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. The United States and India reaffirmed their resolve to counter any attempts to unilaterally subvert the multilateral system."
President Biden and Prime Minister Modi recommitted themselves to empowering the Quad as a partnership for global good. They said that maintaining peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region is the responsibility of all actors in the region, and the Quad Alliance serves to promote it. The two leaders "reiterated their enduring commitment to a free, open, inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous India-Pacific region with respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, and international law".Â
India and the United States seem to be on a renewed course of strategic partnership and this State Visit has given new momentum. The Joint Statement accentuates this renewed optimism -- "no corner of human enterprise is untouched by the partnership between our two great countries, which spans the seas to the stars."
