One country in neighbourhood producing, exporting terror: PM Narendra Modi

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi continued his veiled attack on Pakistan in international fora, calling for “strongest action” against countries that use “terrorism as an instrument of state policy” at the East Asia Summit on Thursday

“We need to target not only the terrorists, but also their entire supporting ecosystem,” Modi told the 11th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Laos, continuing from where he left at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou on Monday.

In an indirect dig against Pakistan, he said that while most countries in South Asia were pursuing a peaceful path to economic prosperity, “there is, however, one country in India’s neighbourhood whose competitive advantage rests solely on producing and exporting terrorism, that has deliberately worked towards reducing the space for peace and increasing the space for violence, putting at risk the peace and prosperity of all of us.The time has come to isolate and sanction ‘this’ instigator.”

On Monday in the final session of the G20 Summit, Modi had said, “Growing forces of violence and terror pose a fundamental challenge. There are some nations that use it as an instrument of state policy… Indeed, one single nation in South Asia is spreading these agents of terror in the countries of our region.” He had also urged hosts China — which has cordial diplomatic relations with Pakistan — to act against terror in the region.

At EAS, Modi said terrorism is the most serious challenge faced by open and pluralistic societies and called for collective efforts to combat the scourge, and isolate global exporters of terror.