Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took a veiled jibe at China, saying that “there are indirect arguments made in support of terrorism to block action against terrorists.”

China, which did not show up at the third ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing despite invitation by India, has been repeatedly blocking India-led international attempts at the UN Security Council platform to designate Jaish-e-Mohammad Chief Masood Azhar, his brother Abdul Raf Azhar, and Lashkar-e-Taiba Founder Hafiz Saeed’s brother-in-law Abdul Rehman Makkio as global terrorists.

In case of Masood Azhar, China, however, relented in May 2019 which allowed the UNSC to stamp him a global terrorist since it is said that Beijing at that point of time wanted to mend fences with Delhi.

Global threat

“All terrorist attacks deserve equal outrage and action. Further, sometimes, there are indirect arguments made in support of terrorism to block action against terrorists. There is no place for an ambiguous approach while dealing with a global threat...Only a uniform, unified and zero-tolerance approach can defeat terrorism,” the Prime Minister emphasised in his inaugural address to the two-day conference.

Modi did not spare Pakistan either and stated the countries that support terrorism as part of their foreign policy and indulge in proxy war must also be isolated. “There must be a cost imposed upon countries that support terrorism... The world needs to unite against all kinds of overt and covert backing of terror,” Modi asserted.

Later Union Home Minister Amit Shah seconded the PM’s view to obliquely attack neighbours China and Pakistan during his reach out at the conference. Chairing first session on “Global Trends in Terrorist Financing and Terrorism”, Shah lamented that “there are countries that seek to undermine, or even hinder, our collective resolve to fight terrorism,” perhaps hinting at China shielding terrorists to protect its friendly relations with Pakistan.

At the same time, Home Minister also took a veiled pot shot at Pakistan by insisting that “we have seen some countries protect and shelter terrorists. Protecting a terrorist is equivalent to promoting terrorism”. He urged the global community to ensure through “collective responsibility that such elements never succeed in their intentions.”

Pakistan and Afghanistan too did not turn up for the international conference organised by Ministry of Home Affairs which is being attended by 450 delegates from over 75 nations and international organisations, including 20 foreign ministers.

Use of cyber infrastructure

The PM advocated the involvement of the private sector in the countries’ fight against changing face of terrorism augmented by latest technology. He expressed his concern over the use of cyber infrastructure and online radicalisation which, according to him, has been stretched to impart arms training from remote locations through e-resources.

“Communications, travel, logistics — there are many links of the chain in different countries,” stated the Prime Minister, while urging each of them to act against those that are within their jurisdiction and not allow terrorists to take advantage of differences in legal procedures and processes within and across continents.

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