'Zero Tolerance': PM Modi, Russian President Putin Jointly Condemn Terror Attacks In Kathua, Moscow

Moscow: In a joint address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday condemned the terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua, Dagestan and the City Hall in Moscow, stressing the need to come down heavily on safe havens and countering cross-border terrorism.

Following the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit, both countries pledged to fight international terrorism in all forms, asking the global community to come together without any doublespeak, respecting the international law and UN Charter. This joint address was also an indirect dig at India's neighbour Pakistan which has often supported cross-border terrorism.

Both leaders emphasised the need to implement the relevant resolutions of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism strategy, the Security Council and the General Assembly as well. In a bid to combat international and cross-border terrorism and terror financing. Modi and Putin called upon expediting the adoption and finalization of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism while commending on the efforts taken to adopt the 2022 Delhi Declaration which aimed at combating new, cutting-edge technology used by terrorists.

Both leaders highlighted the Declaration's aim to curb the use of Information and Communications Technology, including social media, payment portals and fundraising techniques, for terrorism purpose. India and Russia vowed to stand tall against international crimes emanating from cross-border terrorism, money laundering and drug-trafficking while stressing on the need to respect the sovereignty of nations by not interfering in a country's internal affairs.

Earlier, PM Modi highlighted India's own fight with terrorism while addressing the tragic lost of lives in terror incidents in Russia's Dagestan and Moscow. “In the last 40-50 years, India has been facing terrorism. How horrible and disgusting terrorism is, we have been facing for the last 40 years. So, when terror incidents occurred in Moscow, when terror incidents occurred in Dagestan, I can imagine how deep its pain would be. I strongly condemn all kinds of terrorism,” he told Putin during the joint address.

Russia also batted strongly in favour of India's membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, committing to strengthen the global fight for non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. While India looked forward to Russia's participation in the International Solar Alliance (ISA), both the sides reaffirmed their commitment towards strengthening ties within the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS) for the purpose of peace outer space activities.