Surgical strikes a fitting reply to repeated incursions: President

The surgical strikes by India at several terrorist launch pads along the Line of Control to prevent infiltration from Pakistan was a "fitting reply" to the repeated incursions on its territorial sovereignty, President Pranab Mukherjee said today.

Noting that the country is facing the grave challenge of terrorism for the last four decades including cross-border attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Mukherjee, in his address to the joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament on the opening day of the Budget Session, said India will actively cooperate with other nations to decisively defeat terrorist forces.

Asserting that the government is committed to combating terrorism and ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are brought to justice, he said, "My government has taken decisive steps to give a fitting reply to the repeated incursions on its territorial sovereignty.

"On 29th September 2016 our defence forces successfully conducted surgical strikes at several launch pads along the Line of Control to prevent infiltration by terrorists. We are proud of the exemplary courage and valour displayed by our defence personnel and owe a debt of the gratitude to them."

J&K has been affected by terrorism sponsored and supported from across the border, Mukherjee said, adding the attempts of infiltration, incidents of terrorist violence and loss of precious lives of civilians and security personnel remain a cause of "grave concern".

"India has been facing the grave challenge of terrorism for the last four decades. Terrorism poses a serious danger to the global community. India will actively collaborate with other nations in decisively defeating these forces.

"My government is committed to combating terrorism, and to ensure that the perpetrators of such acts are brought to justice," the President said in his nearly hour-long address.

He also talked about Left Wing Extremism and said there has been considerable success in containing the menace over the last three years, with the surrender of over 2,600 extremists. The security situation in the north eastern states has also shown significant improvement, he added.

During his address, the President also noted that the government continues its active diplomacy aimed at facilitating national development, enhancing the country's security and ensuring greater Indian influence in global fora.

There has been a consolidation of relations with friendly countries and major powers, the President said.

"The common desire of the South Asian region for greater prosperity and development led most of its nations to make common cause in their opposition to terrorism," he said.

He also referred to India's Membership of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and signing of the Memorandum of Obligations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), saying they were further reflections of the country's growing and multi-dimensional role in global affairs.

He said India sent a strong message of its commitment to combat climate change with focus on climate justice and sustainable lifestyle when it ratified the Paris agreement on October 2, 2016.