Terrorism continues to pose serious challenge: PM

Observing that terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to developmental goals, Prime Minister Mamohan Singh has said the scourge should be fought through collective international effort.

Addressing the India-Brazil-South Africa Summit in Brasilia on Thursday, Dr Singh said the countries should all efforts for the early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations.

"Terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to our developmental goals. It is a scourge that needs to be fought through collective international effort," he told the Summit also attended by Brazilian President Lula Da Silva and South African President Jacob Zuma.

"We should make all efforts for the early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations," he said.

Noting that collaborative activities within the IBSA framework hold immense promise for our people, Dr Singh said the Joint Declaration and Agreements that will be signed at the Summit will strengthen the enabling institutional framework for cooperation.

"The IBSA Forum supplements the excellent bilateral relations we have with each other. The significance of IBSA however transcends our bilateral ties.

"It symbolises the desire of three great countries to overcome physical distances and pool their material and intellectual resources for a common cause. IBSA is a strong moral force in today's unsettled world," he said.

India looks forward to working closely with Brazil and South Africa to take our cooperation to even greater heights, the prime minister said.