Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said some countries are giving 'active support' to terrorists and non-state actors are acquiring 'growing importance', giving a 'new dimension' to India's security.
He also voiced concern over the possibility of terrorists gaining access to nuclear technology, saying 'there is a growing fear' about it and New Delhi has to be conscious about it.
Addressing the Indian Foreign Service probationers in New Delhi, Dr Singh said the world did not pay much attention to the fact that countries like India have been victim of terror until the September 11, 2001 attacks but the world situation has now changed 'to a certain degree to our advantage'.
"Terrorism today is an international phenomenon. There are still states that are, sometimes, actively backing the terrorist elements, and that there is a growing importance of the non-state actors in the areas relating to terror," he said, adding "I think this gives our national security a new dimension."
Though Dr Singh did not name any country, the reference was obviously to Pakistan which India accuses of giving support to cross-border terrorism.