India on Tuesday hit out at Pakistan over its support to cross-border terrorism and terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). In a clear reference to Pakistan, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, at the BRICS NSAs virtual meet, unequivocally raised the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the LeT and JeM, saying that both the terror outfits enjoy ‘State’ support. He said that terrorism from across the border and these terror groups threaten peace and security.
In less than a week time, this is the second hard hitting attack on Pakistan over terrorism by India. Just a few days ago, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, while Chairing a UNSC meet on terrorism, tore into Pakistan for sponsoring terrorism. Jaishankar had also asked the global community including China not to be selective on terrorism. Now, NSA Doval came down heavily on Islamabad for its involvement in terror activities perpetrated by Lashkar and Jaish terrorists. Doval in fact reminded China and other countries of India’s evidence-based finding that Pakistan’s state actors have been backing terror organisations. Doval raised this issue while the BRICS meeting was discussing the strategy of counterterrorism.
In another important development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday discussed charting out a “coordinated” strategy in Afghanistan. The Russian President called PM Modi to discuss developments in Afghanistan. According to sources, the two leaders agreed to set up a “permanent bilateral channel” on the issues arising from the Taliban takeover of the country. Sources say that Putin himself reached out to PM Modi in what shows Russia’s interest to work in coordination with India as far as Afghanistan is concerned.
“Had a detailed and useful exchange of views with my friend President Putin on recent developments in Afghanistan. We also discussed issues on the bilateral agenda, including India-Russia cooperation against Covid-19.
We agreed to continue close consultations on important issues,” PM Modi tweeted after the 45-minute conversation.
Sources told TDG that regional security and spread of terrorist ideology were the two major issues discussed between PM Modi and Putin. Both the leaders also discussed the issue of countering radicalization, say sources.
Even as PM Modi and Putin discussed the Afghan situation arising out of the Taliban takeover, NSAs from India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa also took note of what was going in Kabul. This was one of the key meetings in the lead up to next month’s BRICS leaders’ summit which India is chairing.
India raised “the issue of cross-border terrorism and activities of groups such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed which enjoy State support and threaten peace and security,” the MEA said, adding that the representatives “adopted and recommended the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan”, which aims to strengthen existing mechanisms of cooperation in areas such as financing and combating terrorism, misuse of the internet by terrorists, and curbing the travel of terrorists, border controls, ahead of the upcoming leaders’ summit. “On Afghanistan, there do remain differences within the grouping, with China and Russia broadly aligning their positions,” say sources.
NSA Ajit Doval hosted the virtual meet, which was attended by General Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Yang Jiechi, Chinese Politburo member and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, General Augusto Heleno Pereira, Brazil’s Minister of State and Head of the Institutional Security Cabinet, and Ncediso Goodenough Kodwa, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of State Security.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the meeting “reviewed the regional and global political and security scenario with particular reference to current developments in Afghanistan, Iran, West Asia and the Gulf and emerging threats to national security, such as Cyber Security.”