India calls for efforts to destroy terrorists' safe havens

Noting that terrorism cannot be justified by any cause or grievance, India has asked United Nations-member states to expand enforcement efforts to destroy safe havens and terrorists' support networks besides evolving a counter-narrative to combat radicalisation.

 "To say that terrorism today constitutes the most serious challenge to international peace and security would be both a self-evident truism and an understatement. No cause or grievance can justify terrorism," India's Ambassador to the UN and Chair of the Counter Terrorism Committee Hardeep Singh Puri said at the 11th Meeting of the Heads of Special Services, Security Agencies and Law-Enforcement Organisations.

Puri said combating the global scourge of terrorism effectively requires necessary political will of member states and greater international and regional cooperation.

"We need to constantly expand the scope of the legal instruments taking into account the changing nature of the threat and expand enforcement efforts to destroy safe havens for terrorists, their financial flows and their support networks. We also need to evolve a powerful counter-narrative to combat incitement and radicalisation," he added.

He stressed that measures taken by nations to combat terrorism must comply with all obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.

He termed the UN's convening power as "unparalleled," which has played a "seminal" role in combating terrorism and capacity building of member States.

"Our efforts at the UN are now increasingly focused towards enhancing greater cooperation, coherence and coordination of counter-terrorism efforts amongst various UN entities," he added.