India's attempts to isolate Pakistan on terror appeared to have gained traction when the five-nation grouping BRICS condemned the recent attacks in Uri and Pathankot and made it clear that there can be no political or religious justification to it as Prime Minister dubbed the neighbour as "mother ship" of global terror.
After diplomats worked long hours, the Summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa came out with a Goa Declaration which also backed India's demand by calling upon all nations to work together to expedite the adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN without any further delay.
Leaders of the five nations including Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was a responsibility of all states to prevent terrorist actions from their territories, a concern India continuously voices over the Pakistan's support to cross-border terrorist activities by outfits operating from its soil.
"We strongly condemn the recent several attacks, against some BRICS countries, including that in India. We strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there can be no justification whatsoever for any acts of terrorism, whether based upon ideological, religious, political, racial, ethnic or any other reasons.
"We agreed to strengthen cooperation in combating international terrorism both at the bilateral level and at international fora," said the 102-para declaration.
The declaration also touched several other areas including global cooperation in combating the menace of terrorist financing, corruption, stashing of black money and the need for steps to achieve repatriation of ill-gotten stashed abroad.
The five-nation grouping also decided to work closely with G-20 members to strengthen macro economic cooperation and promote sustainable trade and development to propel global growth.
Modi set the tone for the strong declaration on terrorism with his veiled but obvious attack on Pakistan from whose soil terrorists targeted the army base in Uri, air force base in Pathankot and civilian targets in Gurdaspur, resulting in a good number of casualties.
"In our own region, terrorism poses a grave threat to peace, security and development. Tragically its mother ship is a country in India's neighbourhood. Terror modules around the world are linked to this mother ship. This country shelters not just terrorists. It nurtures a mindset. A mindset that loudly proclaims that terrorism is justified for political gains.
"It is a mindset that we strongly condemn. And, against which we as BRICS need to stand and act together. BRICS must speak in one voice against this threat," he said without taking the name of Pakistan.
Modi's call for BRICS to stand and act together against terrorism came against the backdrop of China remaining non-committal on backing India on mobilising world opinion against terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
The declaration called upon all nations to adopt a comprehensive approach in combating terrorism, which should include countering violent extremism, radicalisation, recruitment, movement of terrorists including foreign terrorist fighters and blocking sources of financing terrorism and dismantling terrorist bases.
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