Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting with fellow BRICS leaders on Sunday in Goa urged them to take a strong united stand against the “mothership of terrorism” in the South Asian region, in a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan.
Modi said a country in India’s neighbourhood held links to “terror modules” around the world, which BRICS should strongly condemn.
“In our region, terrorism poses a grave threat to peace, security and development.”
“Tragically the mothership of terrorism is a country in India’s neighbourhood,” Modi said without naming Pakistan.
Analysts, however, are sceptical of India’s chances of securing a joint BRICS condemnation given China’s strong diplomatic support for Pakistan and Russia’s efforts to forge closer defence ties with Islamabad.
Modi has stepped up a drive to isolate Pakistan diplomatically after the Uri army base attack. Not long after the attack occurred, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed Pakistan a ‘terrorist state’, accusing it of involvement in the attack before an investigation had been initiated into the attack.
The Uri attack occurred days before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was set to address the United Nations General Assembly regarding Indian human rights violations in held Kashmir.
Following the attack, India claimed to have conducted a cross-border ‘surgical strike’ against ‘launch pads of terror’ in Azad Jammu and Kashmir ─ a claim Pakistan has strongly rejected.
Pakistan maintains India is attempting to divert the world’s attention away from ‘atrocities’ committed by government forces in India-held Kashmir.
Pakistan and India have locked horns over the Kashmir issue since Indian forces stepped up a crackdown against protesters after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by government forces in July.
Over 80 people have been killed and hundreds of protesters injured in clashes with Indian security forces.
