AUCKLAND: India and New Zealand on Saturday committed to strengthening cooperation against terrorism and violent extremism, with the proposed Joint Working Group serving as one of several mechanisms to deepen collaboration in addressing these threats.
Addressing a press briefing on the ongoing engagements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Zealand, Rudrendra Tandon, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said that India will continue to remind the international community that terrorism and violent extremism pose the gravest threats to global peace and security, stressing that there can be no double standards in combating the menace.
“Terrorism and violent extremism is very well known. We will constantly remind the international community and our partners that this poses a significant threat to peace and security all over the world. We work with partners to tackle this scourge. The joint working group that we are establishing with New Zealand is just one of the many steps,” said Tandon. “But New Zealand and India are fairly like-minded and tough on this entire issue of terrorism and violent extremism, and the need to ensure the closest collaboration to defeat this threat. We also know that there can be no double standard... when you are tackling such a great threat,” he added. Tandon said that PM Modi’s visit aimed at reinforcing a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific, with New Delhi viewing Wellington as a significant partner in the region. (IANS)
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