Modi Pitches for 'Zero Tolerance' Towards Terror

FORTALEZA: Deprecating the "different yardsticks" in dealing with global terrorism which has assumed war-like proportions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said collective pressure should be put on states to deny sanctuaries and support to terrorists, a statement seen as a veiled reference to India's neighborhood.

In his first multilateral engagement with world leaders, Modi addressed the sixth summit of BRICS nations in which he made it clear that terrorism in any form was against humanity and there should be zero-tolerance against it.

He said the menace has assumed war-like proportions and called for early adoption by the UN of the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism.

"We must also put collective pressure on states to deny sanctuaries and support to terrorists," he said in his first major speech at an international forum in which he also referred to international hot spots like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

"Terrorism is a threat that has assumed war-like proportions. It is in fact a proxy war aimed at innocent civilians. Due to different yardsticks the international community has not been able to combat terror effectively," he told the meeting of five-nation grouping attended by host President Dilma Rousseff, Presidents Xi Jinping of China, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

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