Saudi crown prince vows ‘all cooperation’ against terror, $100 billion investment in India
HIGHLIGHTS
*India and Saudi Arabia agreed on the need to put pressure on countries that back terror
*The crown prince agreed to share intelligence with India on counter-terrorism
*He also agreed that terrorists should come under UN sanctions
NEW DELHI: Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi in condemning the Pulwama attack in the “strongest terms” even as India and Saudi Arabia agreed on the need to put pressure on countries that back terror and called on such states to dismantle terrorism infrastructures.
Apart from the specific reference to Pulwama, the joint statement called on “all states to reject the use of terrorism against other countries, dismantle terrorism infrastructures where they happen to exist and to cut off any kind of support and financing to terrorists perpetrating terrorism from all territories against other states”.
The crown prince agreed to share intelligence with India on counter-terrorism and, importantly, agreed that terrorists should come under UN sanctions. He also said Saudi Arabia will invest $100 billion in India.
After discussions on Wednesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman said: “As far as terrorism and extremism are concerned — which are common concerns — I want to tell India that we will extend all cooperation to you, be it intelligence-sharing... not only with India but also with the neighbouring countries.”
Crown prince Salman’s remarks come just two days after a Saudi Arabia-Pakistan joint statement said there should not be “politicisation” of terror lists.
In his remarks, Modi said, “We have agreed that terrorism should not be supported in any form, and we should put pressure on countries that back terror. To end terror infrastructure, ending support to terror groups and punishing them is essential, so that young people don’t take up arms... I’m glad Saudi Arabia agrees with India on this.”
The deliberations seem to have been held in a cordial setting with the crown prince, in informal conversations with Indian leaders on his arrival at Rashtrapati Bhavan, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his “elder brother” and a leader he held in high regard. “India is in the Saudi DNA,” the crown prince told reporters.
In an interview, Saudi deputy foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir indicated the Saudi-Pakistan joint statement not be read in reference to Jaish-e-Muhammed leader Masood Azhar. “Our policy on listing individuals is very clear. If someone is engaged in terrorism, if someone belongs to a terror organisation that is responsible for murdering people... and if you can’t capture that person, he or she has to be designated so that they cannot roam the world freely,” said Al-Jubeir.
T S Tirumurti, MEA secretary (ER), told journalists that India and Saudi Arabia agreed in the joint statement that terrorists and their organisations should come under comprehensive sanctions by the UN. “We have a specific context for saying this,” he said. JeM, which has claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack, has been proscribed, but Masood Azhar remains out of sanctions because of Chinese protection.
The agreement comes after the Saudi-Pak joint statement which cautioned against “politicisation” of UN terrorist listings.