Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged the global community to battle terrorism unitedly by dropping the notion that it’s someone else’s problem since the perpetrators of terror are now “globally networked” and are “using 21st century technology”.
At a gathering of world leaders attending the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by President Barack Obama, Modi also underscored the need for all nations to “completely abide by their international obligations” to ensure nuclear security is an abiding priority for every nation.
“Terrorism is globally networked. But, we still act only nationally to counter this threat,” he said at a White House working dinner that kicked off the summit on Thursday evening, stressing, “Terrorists are using 21st century technology. But our responses are rooted in the past.”
Modi, coming to Washington via Brussels that witnessed the latest horrific terror attacks, lamented that while the reach and supply chains of terrorism are global, genuine cooperation between nation states is not.
“Drop the notion that terrorism is someone else’s problem and that “his” terrorist is not “my” terrorist,” he remarked at one point.
Obama, hosting what will be his fourth and final summit to bring nations together to prevent terrorists and other non-state actors from gaining access to nuclear materials, was flanked by Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the dinner table.
The Prime Minister made the case for focusing on three contemporary features of terrorism, noting, “First, today’s terrorism uses extreme violence as theatre. Second, we are no longer looking for a man in a cave, but we are hunting for a terrorist in a city with a computer or a smart phone. Third, State actors working with nuclear traffickers and terrorists present the greatest risk.”
Turning to the global challenge for nuclear security amid the mounting fears of nuclear terrorism, the Prime Minister said, “Nuclear security must remain an abiding national priority.” He sought to drum home the point that “without prevention and prosecution of acts of terrorism there is no deterrence against nuclear terrorism”.
lauding Obama for turning the spotlight on the critical issue, Modi remarked, “President Obama has done great service to global security.”
“This legacy of President Obama must endure,” he said, given the probability that the Obama initiative of holding these biennial global summits on this score could end when he demits office next January.
“Brussels shows us how real and immediate is the threat to nuclear security from terrorism,” Modi commented.
With the world leaders gathering at the Washington Convention Centre on Friday for the plenary sessions, the discussions were slated to focus on national actions to enhance nuclear security. A separate session has been devoted to deal with the current foremost terror challenge posed by ISIS.
India and the United States, meanwhile, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for setting up a new laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (lIGO) in India to carry forward frontline research on various aspects of gravitational wave astronomy.
The Prime Minister looked at the lIGO project not only as a great example of India-US scientific collaboration but also one that has the potential of generating curiosity in a lot of young minds in India and creating a whole new generation of Indian scientists who can get enthused with this remarkable breakthrough in science, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup told reporters.
“What was significant about this project is that now that India has agreed to be a part of this project, the possibility is that India will become central to the lIGO project partly on account of the fact that geography favours us,” Swarup said, pointing out that the Union Cabinet has already approved an outlay of Rs 1,200 crore for the project in India.