Delhi blasts cowardly act of terrorist nature: Manmohan Singh

On a day when Delhi was rocked by a powerful blast, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voiced concern over forces of extremism and terrorism, saying they "threaten our state systems and impede our progress."

Articulating his views on the issue at a gathering of intellectuals in Dhaka University, Singh said "both India and Bangladesh are vulnerable to the forces of extremism and terrorism."

"Such forces sap the strength of our societies, threaten our state systems and impede our progress," he said.

"It is, therefore, of paramount importance that we work together to confront this challenge," Singh said.

Later in a statement to the Indian journalists accompanying him on his two-day visit here, the Prime Minister denounced the blast outside the Delhi High Court as a "cowardly act of terrorist nature."

"I just heard the sad news from Delhi about the bomb blast. I am told that 10 people have been killed. This is cowardly act of terrorist nature. We will deal with it. We will never succumb to the pressure of terrorism," Singh said.

He said, "This is a long war in which all political parties, all the people of India have to stand united so that the scourge of terrorism is crushed."