India calls for global response to terrorism

New Delhi India January 22 ANI Pointing to the Texas synagogue attack that 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.

The recent incident in Texas shows that the international network of terror is very active and has long-lasting implications, with its epicentre in India's neighbourhood. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Friday that this is a global threat that requires an unambiguous, unequalled, effective and collective response.

Shringla was speaking at a symposium on Potential for Indo-European German cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. Shringla said that there is a need for cooperation to counter the terror threats and counter-terrorism is another area of cooperation between strategic partners. Failure to cooperate can embolden terrorists towards more audacity. He said that you would recall the horrific 26-11 Mumbai attack on which Indian, German and other nationals had lost their lives.

A 44-year-old man, Malik Faisal Akram took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue in order to demand the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist serving 86 years of the sentence in the US.

It was called an act of terror by U.S. President Joe Biden. Akram was killed on January 16 after a tense standoff.

Foreign Secretary has stated that India will host 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 the Indo-Pacific, he welcomed German frigate, Bayern, which is making a port call to Mumbai, and called for more intense cooperation between India and Europe to address challenges like sustainable development, environmental protection and climate change. Shringla said that these issues can only be addressed by a collaborative effort that promotes linkages and not economic dependencies and debt traps in an apparent dig at China.

Shringla said that all countries, including those outside the region, have an important role to play, because they have a clear stake in the security and stability of the region.