Pak-based terror came up in all of Modi's meetings: Shringla

In all meetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, beginning with the United States leadership, there was a 'suo moto' recognition of the concerns that Pakistan has both supported and nurtured cross-border terrorism, including in and from Afghanistan, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Shringla also said that there was a sense that the situation needs to be watched very carefully.

Pakistan's neighbours, including Afghanistan's previous government and India, and the US have long accused Islamabad of providing safe haven and support to militants.

"In all the meetings the Prime Minister had, beginning with US leadership, there was a suo moto recognition of the concerns that Pakistan represents as a country that has in many senses both supported and nurtured cross-border terrorism, including in Afghanistan and from Afghanistan," he said.

"There was a sense that the situation needs to be watched very carefully, and that the international community needs to ensure that Pakistan fulfilled its obligation as member of the comity of nations in its basic obligations that it does not in any way work against the detriment of its neighbors or any other country in the world."

That has been reflected in the 'strong statements' both in the bilateral joint statement as well as the joint statement of the Quad Leaders' Summit, which reflect those sentiments quite significantly, Shringla said.

US Vice President Kamala Harris, during her maiden meeting with Prime Minister Modi, on Thursday 'suo moto' referred to Pakistan's role in terrorism, saying there were terror groups working in the country and asked Islamabad to take action so that it does not impact on America and India's security.

Shringla said that Prime Minister Modi underlined in his address to the UN General Assembly that countries using terrorism as a tool should note that this is a double-edged sword and encouragement to terrorism can come back to bite you.

'On international issues, you would have noticed the Prime Minister referred to the most pressing issue of today which is a topic of conversation of almost every head of state and government that has spoken at the United Nations, the situation in Afghanistan.

'He said that countries using terrorism as a tool should note that this is a double-edged sword. I think that's a very important point to make, that you cannot think of encouragement to terrorism because that can come back to bite you,' Shringla added.

Shringla said the Prime Minister's address to the General Assembly marks the culmination of a very successful, a very comprehensive tour of the United States.

He highlighted that Modi's address in the United Nations focused on important themes.

The first theme of course was that democracies can deliver, democracies have delivered, CoWin, vaccine equity.

Modi also referred to the fact that the plight of women, children, minorities should not be forgotten and that these basic human rights of people of Afghanistan are important.

"They need the help of the international community and it is incumbent on the international community to come forward to speak in one voice on some of these issues that are important to all of us."

Shringla also referred to Modi addressing the issue of the UN Security Council.

"When we talk about international issues, issues that are important to the global community, the Prime Minister referred to the COVID-19 and its origins, the case of the ease of doing business, I think that's important when we talk about the need for greater investment and technology flows."

Modi also called on the UN to provide global order, global law and global values, he said.

Shringla said that the prime minister's statement makes a few things apparent that India by its own developmental paradigm and the success of its development efforts, is really providing development to the entire world because it represents 1/6 of humanity.

"Our development, our progress, our success is the world's success. The second of course is the intention to share with the international community, our best practices, our experiences," Shringla said.

Modi's address also helped India to project its long-standing growing credentials as a South-South development partner in the context of the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.