PM Modi urges global action against terrorism, says those who support it are 'rewarded'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged G7 leaders to act against terrorism and underlined the need to take strong action against those who "promote it".

PM Modi, during his address at the G7 Outreach Session in Canada, said countries supporting terrorism must be held accountable.

"For global peace and prosperity, our thought and policy must be clear - if any country supports terrorism, it will have to pay the price for it," he said.

"On one hand, we are quick to impose all kinds of sanctions based on our own preferences. On the other hand, countries that openly support terrorism are rewarded," he said.

"PM reiterated India’s stand against terrorism & thanked the leaders for condemning the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack. He urged them to galvanize global action against terrorism & underlined the need to take strict action against those who promote & support terrorism," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in an X post.

The April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killed 26 people. In response to it, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During his address, the prime minister also called for attention to the Global South's concerns and priorities. He noted that India took it as its responsibility to bring the voice of the Global South to the world stage.

"Moving forward on the fundamental principles of availability, accessibility, affordability, acceptability, India has chosen the path of inclusive development," Modi said.

In his address, the he highlighted the need to ensure energy security for all through a sustainable and green pathway and elaborated on India’s global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Global Biofuels Alliance, towards this objective, according to Jaiswal.

"AI, itself, is an energy-intensive technology. If there is any way to sustainably fulfill the energy requirements of a technology-driven society, it is through renewable energy," Modi said.

He added that in the last century, there was competition for energy, however, in this century, "we will have to cooperate for technology".

Modi also highlighted India’s experience in democratising the use of technology and its human-centric approach to deploying it.

"He called for addressing global governance issues to tackle concerns of AI and to promote innovation in the field," said the MEA spokesperson.

"Deep-fake is a cause of great concern. Therefore, water-marking or clear declaration should be made on AI-generated content," Modi said in his address.

Earlier, the prime minister said he held "productive" exchanges with G7 leaders on key global challenges and shared aspirations for a better planet.

Modi posted a picture on X with leaders of the seven-nation bloc and those invited to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis.

"Together for global progress! Productive exchanges with G7 leaders on key global challenges and shared aspirations for a better planet," he said in the post.

In a separate post, Jaiswal said, "A collective commitment to addressing global challenges & promoting common values." "PM @narendramodi with the leaders of @G7 countries and invited partners," he said, attaching the same group photo.

Modi was earlier welcomed by his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney as he arrived here for the G7 Outreach Session.

This is his first visit to Canada in a decade.

Earlier, the prime minister had said he would discuss important global issues and emphasise the priorities of the Global South as he meets world leaders at the G7 Summit.