India and Russia express concerns over terrorism in Afghanistan

New Delhi: The BRICS Virtual Conference was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Prime Minister Modi and President Putin’s concerns about Afghanistan and their emphasis on counter-terrorism cooperation seem to be the hallmarks of this BRICS summit.

Prime Minister Modi expressed concern over the situation in Afghanistan. The Indian Prime Minister said that there is also a need to restore peace in Afghanistan by stopping violence. He also hoped that efforts would be made to reach a consensus in Afghanistan through wide-ranging discussions. Also, Prime Minister Modi has warned that Afghanistan’s land should not be used for terrorism against other countries. Russian President Putin also reiterated Prime Minister Modi’s demand.

Vladimir Putin blamed the United States and NATO for the sudden withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan for the situation in Afghanistan, saying that this no threat should be created from Afghanistan to neighbouring countries. Afghanistan should not become a hub for terrorism and drug trafficking. President Putin underlined the threat emerging from this that it is not known what effects this will have on the international and regional level. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has also expressed concern that the regional tensions have escalated rather than diminished.

Prime Minister Modi said that the BRICS has agreed on counter-terrorism measures and that the action plan is ready. Meanwhile, the BRICS joint statement said separate approaches to terrorism and extremism could not be tolerated. The statement condemned the terrorist attack on Kabul airport. ‘Afghanistan should not become a sanctuary for terrorists,’ BRICS said in a statement. The BRICS joint statement also called for respect for the rights of minorities in Afghanistan.