New York:

Warning against terrorists deploying new technologies, the Quad foreign ministers have reinforced their call for concerted international action against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), as well as Al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State outfit.

After their meeting in Tokyo, the Quad ministers said in a joint statement on Monday that they were committed to working with international and regional partners to forestall “threats posed by the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes”.

“We reiterate the call for concerted action against all UN-listed terrorist groups including Al-Qa’ida, ISIS/Daesh, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), and their proxy groups,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Foreign Ministers Penny Wong of Australia and Yoko Kamikawa of Japan said in their statement.

“We deplore the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, tunnels, and information and communication technologies by terrorists and terrorist entities,” they said.

Recalling the 26/11 Mumbai and the 2016 Pathankot terrorist attacks, they called for “bringing the perpetrators of these attacks to justice without delay”.

The ministers said the first meeting of the Quad Working Group on Counter-Terrorism established at the ministerial meeting in New Delhi last year had “fruitful discussions” at its first meeting and at the fourth tabletop exercise in Honolulu in December, and added that they looked forward to next exercise to be hosted by Japan in November.

The tabletop exercises look at scenarios to develop responses to an overwhelming terrorist incident in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 4,000-word joint statement ran the gamut from the conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine, and China’s regional threats to cooperation on undersea cable connectivity and environment.

On Ukraine, where there are differences in nuances between India and the other three Quad partners who are all in on aiding Kiev, the statement said unequivocally, “We reiterate the need for a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with international law, consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

India reiterating, this time in this forum, its joint commitment to upholding international law and the UN Charter in Ukraine comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Moscow which drew criticism from the West and Ukraine and underlined its independent stand on international relations.

The joint statement did not name Russia.

The ministers’ statement made pointed references to the dangers to regional peace and security posed by China, but again, without naming it.

They reiterated their fundamental “steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, which is inclusive and resilient, and are united in our commitment to upholding the free and open rules-based international order”.

They called for upholding “sovereignty and territorial integrity, and peaceful settlement of disputes and prohibition on the threat or use of force in accordance with the UN Charter”, while also committing to “the principle of freedom, human rights, rule of law, (and) democratic values”.

Regarding foreign manipulation through exploitation of the information infrastructure, the four ministers vowed to “leverage our collective expertise and capacity to respond” to those threats.

They warned of “foreign information manipulation and interference, including disinformation, which undermines trust and sows discord in the international community” which are tactics that are “intended to interfere with domestic and international interest”.

The ministers said they would promote human rights while “supporting media freedom, addressing online harassment and abuse, and countering unethical practices”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Reminding “non-response” to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India gave a ‘clear message’ against terrorism with the surgical strike and airstrikes after the terror attacks in Uri and Pulwama.

He said that the world was sympathetic with India after 26/11 but also wanted New Delhi not to create any ‘tensions’ with Islamabad. The EAM added that it was because India had not worked to “delegitimize terrorism” and convince the world that it is a danger for everyone globally.

Mr Jaishankar was speaking at an event titled ‘India’s Vishwabandhu Approach to Global Relations’ at the Constitution Club in Mumbai on Monday.

“When 26/11 happened you all know what our response was or to be very frank, what our non-response was. But you also know that our response was very different in Uri and Balakot. And there was a reason. Because Uri was across the Line of Control and Balakot was across the international boundary,” Mr Jaishankar said addressing the event.

“So the message was, if you come and do something here, you may be across the LoC, you may be across the international boundary- we will still come and get you there,” he added.

A group of heavily armed terrorists from the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba unleashed mayhem on the streets of Mumbai on November 26, 2008, spraying bullets on unarmed civilians at multiple key public installations in the city. The attacks left over 166 dead, including foreigners, and over 300 injured.

India carried out a surgical strike against terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to an attack at an army base in Uri, Kashmir in 2016. In 2019, after the Pulwama attack — which killed over 40 Indian soldiers — the Indian Air Force carried out an airstrike against Pakistani terror camps in Balakot.

The EAM further said that India had not lobbied the world against terrorism and couldn’t make them understand that anyone can be the victim of the menace.

“Now, I want you to think for a moment, about the reaction of the world. When 26/11 happened, everybody said yes very bad, we sympathize with you…but do not create tensions with Pakistan. Because we had not lobbied the world, we had not made the world understand what terrorism is, it is a danger for all…Today, it is my turn, tomorrow it will be yours,” the EAM said.

Further elaborating why the world understood India’s response in Uri and Balakot but was ‘tense’ after the 26/11 attacks, Mr Jaishankar said being a ‘Vishwa Bandhu’ a country can carry the world with its viewpoint.

“By the time from 2008, we had reached 2016 actually. We did Uri (surgical strikes) and the world said the Indians did what the Indians had to do. We did Balakot (Air strikes)…- Why was it that the world was understanding about Uri and Balakot, but the world was so tense, or I would say, indifferent on 26/11 because a lot of people sympathized with us, but stopped there,” the EAM said.

“And the reason is that we had not made that effort to delegitimize terrorism, to convince the world…Being Vishwa Bandhu, if you are able to carry the world with your viewpoint, you are that much stronger, you have that ability,” he added.

Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar also attended an interaction with investors, students, and social media influencers, wherein he emphasized that India needs a “strong and experienced” government

“A very productive day in Mumbai, interacting with investors, social media influencers, students and intellectuals. Stressed that in a turbulent and uncertain world, India needs a strong and experienced Government with the judgement and confidence to take the right calls. The last 10 years have laid the foundation for Viksit Bharat. Our choices now will ensure that we will progress towards that goal by 2047,” Mr Jaishankar said in a social media post on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Terrorism continues to constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and regardless of its motivation or cause, the menace is “unjustifiable”, NSA Ajit Doval said on Tuesday. In an address at a conclave of NSAs of India and central Asian countries in Kazakhstan, he also offered fully funded capacity building programmes by New Delhi in a wide range of areas to the participating nations.

The National Security Advisor also said that India is ready to provide the central Asian nations with the technology relating to the United Payment Interface (UPI) free of cost for their independent use. He said that setting up of sovereign digital payment systems will greatly enhance commercial linkages between India and Central Asia and benefit people who may have to travel to India for medical treatment, according to sources. 

The NSA said connectivity and economic integration with the Central Asian countries is a key priority for India. However, while promoting connectivity, it is important to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative, transparent, and participatory, he said.

Mr Doval said connectivity initiatives should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and that they should also adhere to environmental parameters, ensure financial viability, and not become debt burdens.

The remarks came amid increasing criticism of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

In this context, the absence of direct land access between Central Asia and India is an anomaly, he observed.

This absence of direct connectivity is the result of a conscious policy of denial by a particular country, he said in comments seen as an indirect reference to Pakistan.

Mr Doval said this situation is not only self-defeating for this country but it also reduces the collective well-being of the entire region.

He also underlined the advantages of including the Chabahar port in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Mr Doval invited Central Asian neighbours to utilize the Chabahar port as well as its Shaheed Bahesti terminal, being operated by an Indian company, for maritime trade. He solicited support for including Chabahar port within the framework of INSTC.   Both Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan will be joining the INSTC soon. With this, all five Central Asian countries will be a member of the INSTC.

The first meeting of NSAs and Secretaries of Security Councils of India and Central Asian nations was held on December 6 last year in New Delhi. Mr Doval also noted that the situation in Afghanistan remains a “cause of concern”.

Our common immediate priorities include providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring the formation of a truly inclusive and representative government combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children, and them minorities, he said.

India is deeply involved in the humanitarian assistance being provided to the Afghan people, he said.

In line with India’s approach to encourage sports in Afghanistan, the Afghan cricket team is in India to play in the ICC World Cup, Mr Doval said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

The British royal family is expressing solidarity with Israel following the unexpected attacks by Hamas operatives that resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 civilians over the past weekend. While the King and other senior members of the royal family have denounced the attacks, Prince William and Kate Middleton issued a joint statement on Wednesday evening strongly condemning Hamas’ brutal act of violence.

The BBC reported, quoting Palace sources, that the King was “appalled”, and condemned the “barbaric acts of terrorism in Israel”. The Prince and Princess of Wales are “profoundly distressed” by the events since strikes began on Saturday, according to their spokesman. He said the couple believes all Israelis and Palestinians will be “stalked by grief, fear, and anger”.

“A spokesperson for The Prince and Princess of Wales said, ‘The Prince and Princess of Wales are profoundly distressed by the devastating events that have unfolded in the past few days. The horrors inflicted by Hamas’s terrorist attack upon Israel are appalling; they utterly condemn them,” the statement shared on microblogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, read.

pic.twitter.com/lh3f5lusNx

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 11, 2023

“As Israel exercises its right to self-defense, all Israelis and Palestinians will continue to be stalked by grief, fear, and anger in the time to come. They hold all the victims, their families, and their friends in their hearts and minds. Those the Prince of Wales met in 2018 overwhelmingly shared a common hope-that of a better future.”

“In the midst of such terrible suffering, the Prince and Princess continue to share that hope without reservation.”

Meanwhile, Israeli forces reported that approximately 1,200 people, the majority of whom were civilians, had lost their lives in the Hamas attack, marking it as the most devastating in the nation’s history.

As Israel pounded Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, a densely populated enclave of 2.3 million people, in response, the number of deaths there has also reached 1,200 people, including a high number of civilians, according to Palestinian authorities.

More than 338,000 people in the enclave have been displaced, according to the United Nations.

(With inputs from agencies)

A mural features the image of late Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was slain on the grounds of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in June 2023, in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada on September 18, 2023.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh independence advocate whose killing two months ago is at the centre of a widening breach between India and Canada, was called a human rights activist by Sikh organisations and a criminal by India’s Government.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on September 18 that his government was investigating “credible allegations” that Indian Government agents were linked to the June 18 slaying, when Nijjar was gunned down outside a Sikh cultural centre in Surrey, British Columbia.

India has denied any role in the killing, calling the allegations absurd.

Nijjar, 45 when he died, was a prominent member of a movement to create an independent Sikh homeland known as Khalistan, and was organising an unofficial referendum among the Sikh diaspora with the organisation Sikhs For Justice.

He also owned a plumbing business and served as president of a Sikh temple or gurdwara in suburban Vancouver, where banners hung with his face promoting the referendum on September 19. In a 2016 interview with the Vancouver Sun he responded dismissively to reports in Indian media that he was suspected of leading a terrorist cell.

“This is garbage — all the allegations. I am living here 20 years, right? Look at my record. There is nothing. I am a hard worker. I own my own business in the plumbing,” Nijjar told the newspaper. At the time, he said he was too busy to take part in diaspora politics.

Following his death, the World Sikh Organisation of Canada called Nijjar an outspoken supporter of Khalistan who “often led peaceful protests against the violation of human rights actively taking place in India and in support of Khalistan”.

Nijjar was a wanted man in India, which has for years seen Sikh separatists abroad as a security threat.

In 2016, Indian media reported that Nijjar was suspected of masterminding a bombing in the Sikh-majority State of Punjab and training terrorists in a small city southeast of Vancouver. He denied the allegations.

In 2020, Indian authorities claimed Nijjar was a member of a banned militant group and designated him a terrorist. That year, they also filed a criminal case against him as farmers, many from Punjab, camped out on the edges of New Delhi to protest controversial agriculture laws. The Indian Government initially tried to discredit the protests by associating them with Sikh separatists, filing a number of such cases against Sikh activists in India and abroad.

Last year, Indian authorities accused Nijjar of involvement in an alleged attack on a Hindu priest in India and announced a reward of about $16,000 for information leading to his arrest.

The modern Sikh independence movement reaches back to the 1940s but eventually became an armed insurgency that shook the country in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1984, then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered a raid to capture armed separatists taking refuge in Sikhism’s holiest shrine.

The raid killed hundreds of people, and two of Gandhi’s Sikh bodyguards assassinated her shortly after. In response, anti-Sikh riots took place across India in which members of the minority were dragged out of their homes and killed. The insurgency was eventually suppressed in a crackdown during which thousands of people were killed, but the goal of Sikh independence still has support among some in northern India and in the Sikh diaspora.

More recently, the Hindu nationalist-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cracked down on both non-Hindu rights movements and dissidents.

Sikh diaspora activism has been a source of tension between India and Canada for years. Canada has the largest population of Sikhs outside India, and India has repeatedly accused it of tolerating “terrorists and extremists”.

Canadian police said Nijjar was shot as he was leaving the parking lot of the Sikh temple where he served as president in British Columbia. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene.

After the killing, a lawyer and spokesperson for Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said Nijjar had been a target of threats because of his activism. His killing was the second in two years of a prominent member of the Sikh community in Canada.

Mr. Pannun said he had spoken to Nijjar by phone the day before he was killed and that Nijjar had told him that Canadian intelligence had warned him that his life was at risk.

Nearly a week after Nijjar’s slaying, about 200 protesters from Canada’s Sikh community gathered in front of the Indian Consulate in Vancouver to demonstrate. Many of the protesters were convinced that Nijjar’s killing was linked to his calls for an independent Sikh state.

“He was a loving man, a hard-working man, a family man,” said Gurkeerat Singh, one of the protesters.

On September 18, Moninder Singh, a spokesperson for the British Columbia Sikh Gurdwara Council, told Canada’s CTV that the wave of support for Nijjar seen after his death was an indication of how he was seen in the community.

“It shook the community across the entire world, including in Punjab,” Mr. Singh said.
“The community is shattered. There are very, very high emotions,” Sukh Dhaliwal, a member of Parliament who represents Surrey, said days after the killing.