Amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, India has succeeded in bringing the issue of “terrorism” back as the central security agenda for the world community. With Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warning that the war between Israel and Hamas could turn into a regional conflict if attacks on Gaza continue, New Delhi in an intensified the diplomatic outreach to the world has given the message that fragmented global fight against terror is not going to achieve anything and that a collective fight against this menace is need of the hour.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed this “strong message on terrorism” during his telephonic conversation with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, addressing the ongoing West Asia crisis. The PM emphasised concerns about both terrorism and civilian casualties during the conversation. “Had a good conversation with my brother HH @MohamedBinZayed, President UAE, on the West Asia situation. We share deep concerns at the terrorism, deteriorating security situation and loss of civilian lives. We agree on the need for early resolution of the security and humanitarian situation and that a durable regional peace, security and stability is in everyone’s interest,” PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter). After holding a conversation with Sunak, PM Modi tweeted, “We agree that there is no place for terror and violence. Death of civilians is a serious concern. Need to work towards regional peace, security, stability and continued humanitarian assistance.”
So far, Modi has spoken with four leaders in the region–Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian’s Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan’s King Hussein, and Egyptian President El-Sisi. Modi’s message to these leaders was a serious approach towards rooting out terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. At the same time, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has held in-person and telephonic talks with his counterparts in several countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Portugal over the last two weeks. He continued to urge all the leaders to focus on the real issue which is terrorism. Jaishankar’s upcoming engagement with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during 2+2 talks in New Delhi in the coming week of November will also focus on the terror issue. Speaking at the Joint Secretary Session of the Senate’s External Affairs and Defence Commission in Rome on Friday, Jaishankar said the attack by Hamas on Israel on 7 October was a big act of terrorism. There was also an issue of Palestine, which, he said, has to have a solution. Jaishankar emphatically underlined that terrorism was unacceptable.
A diplomatic official said with the war between Israel and Hamas threatening to snowball into a regional conflict, the world community is convinced of what India has said that collective fight needs to be launched against terror groups without differentiating between “your terrorist” and “my terrorist” or “good terrorist” and “bad terrorist”. That no country is immune to such terror attacks is the message that India has been sending out for a long time now. “New Delhi has started reiterating this message since Hamas launched an attack against Israel on 7 October,” a source said.
In first detailed comments on the Israel-Hamas conflict, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that there was a universal obligation to observe international humanitarian law as also a “global responsibility to fight the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations”. “By abstaining during voting over the Gaza-related resolution at the UN, which raised some eyebrows as well, India reaffirmed its policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism. India voted in favour of an amendment that condemned Hamas terror attacks on Israel. But at the same time, it abstained from voting on Jordan’s UN resolution as it did not have any categorical reference to the terror attack of Hamas and Islamic Jihad on Israeli soil that resulted in more than 1400 civilian deaths and the abduction of more than 200 Israeli as hostages, diplomats here said.
Nothing can justify terrorism, India said at the UN. Strategic Affairs and Foreign Policy expert, Harsh V. Pant, told The Sunday Guardian that India has successfully conveyed the message that it continues to be tough on terror and it has zero-tolerance towards the menace. According to sources, India through diplomatic channels has shared its concerns that Hamas has emboldened Islamic radicals in India and other parts of the world. Echoing India’s concerns, Director of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States, Christopher Wray, has warned on Tuesday that the Hamas assault has inspired multiple foreign terrorist organisations to call for attacks against Americans and the West.
This shows that India’s message was well-received in Washington. In confirmation of this fact, Antony Blinken also said at the UN Security Council ministerial meeting a week back that all acts of terror are “unlawful and unjustifiable” whether they target people of Nairobi or Bali, Istanbul or Mumbai in New York or Kibbutz Be’eri. Blinken also drew parallel between the ghastly 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba in 2008 and the recent one launched by Hamas militants in Israel. The US must also take note of how Pro-Khalistan leader of banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in a video message warned India of Hamas-like attack, says a diplomat. India has already said that Canada has a growing reputation as a safe haven for terrorists, extremists and for organised crime.
Diplomats here see these types of statements and reactions from different global quarters including the West and US as a result of pressure in the wake of India’s clear message to the world community that on terrorism there should be no equivocation. New Delhi is reminding the world of the August 2023 BRICS summit declaration which expressed “strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations whenever, wherever and by whomsoever committed”. Similarly, the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration categorically said that “All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whosoever committed”. The world needs to turn its focus on every terror organisation whether it is pro-Khalistan militants active in Canada, Jaish-e-Mohammed and LeT in Pakistan, or al-Qaeda and other terror outfits which are rearing their heads in Afghanistan.
During conversations with the UAE President or UK PM, when PM Modi shared concerns over security challenges posed by terror organisations, he was also referring to pro-Khalistan militants and groups in Canada, UK, Australia, US and other parts of the world, said officials.