Battling Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said here on Wednesday that cross-border terrorism is one of the key security challenges faced by India. He also said terrorism cannot be defeated with “double standards” and there is a need for “zero tolerance.”
Making this observation without naming Pakistan during his meeting with visiting Russian Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu, Parrikar said both the countries also recognise the fact that there is a need for collective efforts to combat terrorism.
Appreciating Russia’s consistent and unwavering support for India in its efforts to eliminate this menace, Parrikar said this phenomenon is a manifestation of the continued presence of terrorist groups in its neighbourhood. Both the leaders also took stock of the security situation in the Indian subcontinent and other parts of the world with Parrikar highlighting Russia’s role in fighting terrorism in West Asia.
The Russian Defence Minister said at times there is unacceptable “double or even, at times, triple standards” in fight against terrorism. “What is absolutely unacceptable in terms of the fight against terrorism is the use of the double or even, at times, triple standards…The serious consolidation of all reasonable powers is necessary to fight this 21st century’s evil,” he said.
Both the leaders held parleys on further strengthening time tested defence ties as part of the 16th meeting of the India-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooper-ation (IRIGC-MTC). These meetings are held once a year alternately in India and Russia.
Parrikar said the meeting took place against the backdrop of the highly successful annual Summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin in Goa last week. The two countries concluded important agreements including the supply of S-400 Triumf Air Defence systems and four frigates. The shareholders’ agreement for the joint venture to manufacture Kamov helicopters in India was also signed, he said adding this is the first major defence project under the ‘Make in India, he said.
While Military Technical Cooperation was progressing well, Parrikar said the traditional military-to-military cooperation needs more focus. The pace and depth of exchanges at the level of Chiefs, training of personnel in each other’s institutions, joint military exercises between all armed forces should be enhanced. Moreover, the two countries could mutually work out the modalities of increasing the military-to-military cooperation and draw up a roadmap for implementation, he said.