Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has tentacles across the world: Ambassador Sujan Chinoy on India-Africa counterterror push
'The delegation was warmly received at the highest levels of government in all these countries, meeting presidents, vice presidents, foreign ministers, national security advisors, and senior parliamentary leaders. They also engaged with the Indian diaspora, journalists, social media influencers, and think tanks. The main goal was to raise awareness about the threat of global terrorism, particularly Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, in the context of Operation Sindoor. I believe this objective has been fully met, strengthening cooperation between India and African countries to combat Pakistan-based terrorism,' Chinoy said.
He further highlighted the rising threat of terrorism in Africa, saying, 'The African Union comprises a very large number of countries, and recent UN reports suggest that this continent is no longer immune to global terrorism. Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has its tentacles spread across the world. The terrorist networks afflicting Africa also have linkages with networks based in Pakistan. In recent years, Africa has emerged as a major centre for global terrorism, with groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria, al-Shabaab in Somalia, Tanzania, and Kenya, as well as many others operating out of Mozambique. Particularly, the Sahel region of Africa has experienced a significant spike in terrorist incidents.'
'There's been a perceptible change in terms of the scourge of global terrorism and its extension to this part of the world. So with all these aspects being covered in the discussions, we have been successful in sensitising all our interlocutors, not only in the UAE but also in West Africa, about the need for us to work together to meet this challenge,' he added.
Reflecting on his personal experience during the outreach visit, Chinoy stated, 'I have been serving the nation for the last 44 years, and I am extremely privileged to be a member of this group led by Shrikant Shinde. The group comprised many eminent members of parliament, all of them stalwarts in their own right, and it was a very humbling experience for me to be in their company for so long and to play a supportive role in the huge responsibility that had been placed on the shoulders of each member of this delegation. So it was a learning experience. It was a humbling experience, but above all, it was a tremendous privilege for me to serve in this capacity as a member of this all-party MPs delegation.'
The delegation, which includes BJP MPs Bansuri Swaraj, Atul Garg, Manan Kumar Mishra, Indian Union Muslim League's E.T. Mohammed Basheer, Biju Janata Dal's Sasmit Patra, BJP leader S.S. Ahluwalia, and former Ambassador Sujan Chinoy, is part of a broader initiative by India to counter global misinformation and highlight its zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. The group is also briefing international partners on India's response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its wider strategy to combat cross-border terrorism.
This multi-party delegation, consisting of seven groups led by one MP each, has been initiated to counter global misinformation and highlight India's zero-tolerance policy on terrorism. (ANI)
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