India, France step up anti-terror drive

New Delhi: France on Monday joined India in turning on the heat on terror on Pakistan. France and India called on Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks of 2008 to justice and “to ensure that such attacks do not recur in the future”.

France also joined India in demanding action against terror groups LeT, JeM, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and the Haqqani Network. Both countries also pointed out that “terrorist activities and proxies supported from safe havens across Afghanistan’s borders pose a grave threat to peace, security and stability of Afghanistan.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Francois Hollande also condemned terror attacks across the world including the recent attacks at Paris and Pathankot.

The two sides noted that terrorist activities and proxies supported from safe havens across Afghanistan’s borders pose a threat to peace and security of Afghanistan.

In this regard, they emphasised the need to address this challenge by dismantling terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens and disrupting all financial and other support for terrorist groups and individuals."

Prime Minister Modi said, “From Paris to Pathankot, we saw the gruesome face of the common challenge of terrorism...I also commend the strength of your resolve and action these terrorist attacks.”

“Agreeing on the imperative of having a comprehensive approach to address terrorism, India and France resolved to step up their bilateral cooperation, under the  supervision of annual strategic dialogues and joint working group on counterterrorism meetings, to counter violent extremism and radicalisation, disrupt recruitment, terrorist movements and flow of Foreign Terrorist Fight-ers, stop sources of terrorist financing, dismantle terrorist infrastructure and prevent supply of arms to terrorists. To this end, they committed to further develop exchanges in the fields of intelligence, finance, justice and police.