BRICS must fight terror: Modi

India on Sunday called on other BRICS members to intensify joint efforts to combat terrorism as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an apparent reference to Pakistan, demanded “coordinated actions” by the grouping to “isolate supporters and sponsors of terror”.

Leading from the chair, Modi in his hard-hitting address to the BRICS Leaders Meeting here said “terrorists in South Asia, or anywhere for that matter, do not own banks or weapons factories”.

“Clearly, someone funds and arms them and BRICS must intensify joint efforts not just to fight terror but to coordinate actions to isolate those who are supporters and sponsors of terror,” he said, without naming Pakistan. But the reference was clearly aimed at Islamabad—a close ally of China.

Describing BRICS as “an influential voice” in international discourse, Modi said it was the grouping’s shared responsibility to shape the global agenda and help developing nations achieve their objectives.

He said terrorism remains the “primary source of instability and the biggest threat” to our societies and countries and the supply chains have a global reach. The use of social media to promote radical ideology is “increasing (the) dimension of this threat”, he added.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup, during a media briefing, said, “(Modi’s address to the BRICS Leaders Meeting) tells you how strongly the prime minister intervened on the issue of terror.”