India highlights protectionism, terrorism at BRICS informal meet

Osaka, Japan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday raised the issues of protectionism and terrorism at BRICS informal meet, held on the sidelines of the 14th G20 Summit in Japan's Osaka.

"Support to terror should be stopped," said Prime Minister and called for a global conference on the issue, an idea first floated by him during Maldives tour. He said, there is uncertainty in the global economic order and "rules-based multilateral order" can face problems due to one-sided decisions. 

PM Modi gave five solutions to the current problems which included easy movement of skilled force which will benefit nations.

Informal BRICS summit has become a permanent fixture on the sidelines of the G20 summit. 

The BRICS in its joint declaration spoke out on states providing support to terror. They reiterated that it is the "responsibility of all states to prevent financing of terrorist networks and of terrorist actions from their territories" and "commitment to fight the exploitation of internet for terrorist purposes." Their statement also took a strong stance on protectionism and unilateralism and said it runs “counter to the spirit and rules of the WTO." 

India said that any international rules on data should be done under WTO and not by any other grouping including G20. This comes even as Australia, Japan and US push for free flow of trade at the G20.