RM Manohar Parrikar" "Despite Consensus on Terrorism Being Biggest Threat, A Formal Agreement Is Missing"

NationalDefence Bureau,

New Delhi, 6 March 2017

Raksha Mantri Manohar Parrikar today said "Terrorism is undoubtedly the single biggest threat to intenational peace and security. When the threat is transnational, the response doesn’t appear to be coordinated even though there is broad consensus on what constitutes an act of terror, a formal agreement is missing". Parrikar was speaking at his key note address at IDSA during 19th Asian Security Conference 2017 in New Delhi.

Here is excerpts from RM Parrikar's keynote address:  

We are living in the ties of global insecurity or revival of populist movement, heightened nationalism, backlash against globalization and possible closing of borders and all intensifying social and cultural cleavages like never before. Terrorism remains most pervasive and serious challenge to international security. Developing a serious and coordinated global response is very important but seemingly difficult to achieve.

According to latest available global figures, from the global terrorism index, brought out by Institute of Economics and Peace a record number of countries are experiencing high level of terrorism which surge by 6 per cent in 2016 from the preceding years. Four groups are responsible for 74% of all types of terrorism- Islamic State, Boko Haram, Taliban and al-Qaeda. IS definitive group carried out attacks in 29 countries in 2016 almost double in comparision to 2014. 

The UN report  that in armed conflict in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan, Yemen combatants are defying humanities most fundamental norms.

Terrorism is undoubtedly the single biggest threat to intenational peace and security. When the threat is transnational, the response doesn’t appear to be coordinated even though there is broad consensus on what constitutes an act of terror, a formal agreement is missing. 

At the same time terrorists are expoiting sophisticated tools of technology, tools of communication and complicated webs of terror financing. A successful combat of terrorism requires holistic approach. Tackling terror finance and countering the misuse of internet through social media by terrorist entities has become the most important step in this process. 

It is instructive that most of the attacks carried out by Islamic State in last two years have been executed by groups or persons who had no direct contact with them. 

According to the global terrorism index which provides comprehensive annual summery of the global incident of terrorism these facts have been highlighted.  

A global response to terrorism can only emerge if there is a regional consensus on issues affecting the countries involved. The role of Asia in the process here is central.

With 7 out of top 10 countries having the highest  adverse impact from terrorism being in Asia and Asians being subjected to the terrorist violence carried out by 4 of the 5 deadliest outfits in the world. The initiative of the global response has to come from Asians. 

A strong regional push from Asia will exert more pressure on the rest of the world to add up the cohesive frame work to fight all terror groups and terror activities together. 

India’s ties with Asian countries goes back to several centuries through civilizational linkage and cultural connections- the large scale people to people contact.

India can not afford to distance itself from happenings in the Asian Countries. Not only do acts of terror undermine Governance, this slow down economic growth and development. This is more important because India experience about 7 per cent of all terrorist attacks around the globe. 

India first submitted its proposal for comprehensive conventional international terrorism at UN General Assembly in 1996. Twenty years later we continue to push to ban all terror groups, prohibit all terrorists under special laws and make cross border terrorism an extricable offence world wide. 

Afghanistan and India  has been victims of this proxy war for decades now. This is why in framing of CCIT India has today within its ambit action against entities that fund terror groups against terror ideologies and provide safe heaven to terrorists.

We will continue in pushing this further and will be pushing tirelessly for more comprehensive response. 

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