India and Japan on Thursday strongly pitched for a zero-tolerance approach to fight terrorism, and agreed to strengthen cooperation against groups such as Al-Qaida and Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The two countries also condemned North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmmes.
PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe asked Islamabad to act against those behind the terror attacks in Mumbai (2008) and Pathankot (2016), according to a joint statement issued after their annual summit. The two leaders condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism.
Abe's visit looks to deepen economic and defences ties to balance China's growing power in the region. The two leaders held summit talks and signed 15 agreements to enhance strategic partnership, agreeing to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Modi and Abe said that terrorism in all forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be combated through concerted global action in the spirit of zero tolerance. Both called upon all nations to work towards uprooting terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terror networks and finance channels, and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
"They looked forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates," the statement added.
Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities, the statement said.
Without naming Pakistan and China, the joint statement said the two countries agreed on the need of world community holding accountable all those parties that helped North Korea in its nuclear programme.
Abe called for strict enforcement of a UN resolution against North Korea over its latest nuclear test, saying the world must force a change in Pyongyang's policies. New Delhi stood with Tokyo in its resolve for a firm response to Pyongyang, he said.
"I'd like to appeal to the world, together with Prime Minister Modi, that we need to have North Korea change its policy through the thorough implementation of the newly adopted Security Council resolution by the international community... Prime Minister Modi and I are in full agreement on this," he said.
The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against North Korea on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies.
(with agency inputs)
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