India, US should develop more trust to fight terror: Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: India and the US should fight terrorism together as no country is safe from the menace, President Pranab Mukherjee today said while sharing views of American President Barack Obama that no nation should provide safe haven to terror groups.

During his meeting with the visiting US President, Mukherjee stressed for redoubling the already strong ties with the US and said, "Relations between India and the US were not only good for the two countries but also good for South Asia as well as larger Asia-Pacific region and the world."

Thanking Mukherjee for his role in strengthening Indo-US ties during his four decades in public life, Obama said both India and the US have seen gruesome terror attacks on their soils.

The law-enforcement agencies of both the countries should develop more trust and mutual cooperation for fighting the menace of terrorism more strongly, he said.

Mukherjee said the world must adopt zero tolerance to terrorism.

"Allowing safe haven in any country is same as allowing all countries become potential targets of terrorism," he said.

Obama also favoured closer ties between the younger generation of the two countries.

Mukherjee welcomed the US investments in India's infrastructure and pointed out his government's ambitious plan of generating 100 Giga Watts from renewable energy.

Later welcoming Obama at the banquet, Mukherjee said that this was the historical visit of the US President as he is the first American head of state to be the Chief Guest of Republic Day, the first American President to visit India twice and the first to hold second Summit-level meeting within the shortest span of four months.

"These milestones make this a truly historical visit," he said.