Rajnath Singh: Global efforts needed to counter cross-border terror
New Delhi, November 23
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today called for urgent and resolute global efforts to counter transnational and cross-border terrorism, terming it the gravest threat to regional and global security.
He was speaking at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus in Cambodia. “Global security environment has transformed fundamentally over the last few decades, with terrorist groups creating interlinkages across continents backed by new-age technologies to propagate ideologies, transfer money and recruit supporters,” said Rajnath.
He said challenges of energy and food security had emerged in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic. He reiterated India’s commitment to nurturing practical, forward-looking and result-oriented cooperation between India and ADMM Plus countries.
India, he said, advocates a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and calls for peaceful resolution of disputes. Mentioning the ongoing maritime dispute in the South China Sea, he said “ongoing ASEAN-China negotiations on the code of conduct in the South China Sea should be fully consistent with international law, particularly United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”. The ADMM Plus is an annual meeting of Defence Ministers of 10 ASEAN countries and its eight dialogue partner countries — India, USA, Russia, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
