Foreign Secretary Shringla highlighted the need for cooperation to counter the terror threats and cooperation between strategic partners in counter-terrorism.
New Delhi [India], January 22 (ANI): Pointing to the Texas synagogue attack that has exposed Pakistan's links with international terrorism, India has called for an effective and collective response to the global threat from the international terrorism network.
"Recent incident in Texas once again demonstrates that international network of terror, with its epicentre in India's neighbourhood, is very much active and has long-lasting implications. This is a global threat that requires an unambiguous, undivided, effective and collective response," Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Friday without naming Pakistan.
Shringla was speaking at a symposium on "Potential for Indo-European/German cooperation in Indo-Pacific." Highlighting the need for cooperation to counter the terror threats, Shringla said: "Counter-terrorism is another key area of cooperation between strategic partners. Failure to cooperate can only embolden terrorists towards more audacity."
"You would recall the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack in which Indian, German and other nationals had lost their lives," he said.
A 44-year-old man, Malik Faisal Akram, took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue demanding the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist serving 86-years of the sentence in the US. US President Joe Biden termed it as an "act of terror". Akram was killed on January 16 after a tense standoff.
Foreign Secretary also added: "India will be hosting the third "No Money For Terror" Conference this year, and we look forward to participation from Germany in this important initiative."
During the event on the potential for cooperation between India and Europe in Indo-Pacific where he welcomed German frigate Bayern, which is making a port call to Mumbai, and called for more intense engagement between India and Europe to address challenges like sustainable development, environmental protection and climate change. Shringla said these issues could only be addressed through a collaborative effort that promotes linkages and not "economic dependencies and debt traps" in an apparent dig at China.
"Therefore, we believe that all countries, including those outside the region with a clear stake in the security and stability of the region, have an important role to play," added Shringla.
Furthermore, during the event, Shringla said that the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar had stated at the UN Security Council that "there cannot be any exception or any justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivations behind such acts."
"Recently, India reiterated its position when it conveyed that any attack on innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure was completely unacceptable; would be in blatant violation of international law; and against all civilized norms," he said. (ANI)
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