Big win for India, EU pledges to join fight against Lashkar, Jaish

New Delhi: India and the European Union on Friday adopted a declaration to counter terrorism as they discussed ways to strengthen their cooperation in key areas of trade and security during the 14th summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the top EU leadership here.

"Leaders of India and EU agreed on stronger cooperation to act against global terrorists and terror entities including Hafiz Saeed, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Dawood Ibrahim, Lashkar-eTaiba, Jaish e Mohammad, Hizbul Mujaheedin, Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, ISIS and affiliates," said Ruchi Ghanshyam, secretary in the MEA.

PM Modi, while addressing a joint press event with the EU leaders, said,"We have agreed to strengthen our security cooperation and work together against terrorism. We will not only further strengthen our bilateral cooperation on this issue, but will also increase our cooperation and coordination in multilateral fora."

The Prime Minister said both sides agreed to cooperate on global issues and work together on climate change.

"Our multi-dimensional relations and strategic partnership is of prime importance," he said, adding that relations between the two sides had been reinforced following the 13th India-EU Summit at Brussels last year.

India and the EU also held extensive discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues, including the Rohingya crisis and volatile situation in the Korean peninsula. 

Prime Minister Modi told reporters that the two sides have agreed to work in close cooperation against terrorism. "We have agreed to strengthen our security cooperation and work together against terrorism. We will not only further strengthen our bilateral cooperation on this issue, but will also increase our cooperation and coordination in multilateral fora," PTI quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

After the summit, India and the EU also inked three pacts which included one on an international solar alliance. "We have adopted a joint declaration on counter-terrorism in which we agreed to counter violent extremism and radicalisation, particularly online, and to deal effectively with the threat by foreign terrorist fighters, terrorist financing and arms supply," PTI quoted European Council President Donald Franciszek Tusk as saying.

The EU is India's largest regional trading partner with bilateral trade in goods at USD 88 billion in 2016. It also remains the largest destination for Indian exports and a key source of investment and technologies.

The two sides have been strategic partners since 2004 and held the 13th India-EU summit in Brussels last year during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Europe.