External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has been on a meeting spree with the world leaders who had gathered for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Her photograph of meeting Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's advisor and daughter, and the latter's praise for the foreign minister has been a hit on the social media. But Swaraj's main speech would come on September 23 where she would articulate India's position, especially on terrorism.
US President Donald Trump appears to have set an agenda with his tough stance on terrorism, particularly Islamic terrorism. He also threatened to totally destroy North Korea.
Now, when it would be Swaraj's turn to speak, terrorism could one of the main themes.
Speaking during the third meeting of India-CARICOM (Caribbean Community), which took place on the sidelines of UNGA, Swaraj brought the subject of terror to the discussion table.
“I would like to highlight that terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security. Counter-terrorism requires a strong collective action by the global community. A strong legal framework also needs to be established in order to address this problem,” she said.
“An early adoption by the UNGA of the Comprehensive Convention of International Terrorism, a draft which was proposed by India as early as 1996, is essential,” the external affairs minister said.
India, for long, has been affected by the terrorism. After the NDA government came to power, it has been raising the issue with even greater force at the world fora. Trump, during the announcement of his Afghanistan policy, had suggested greater role for India in combating terror, and later the US had even designated Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as global terrorist.
With these issues in background, India is likely to put pressure on Pakistan for sponsoring cross border terrorism. Pakistan, which recently got a new prime minister, is likely to find it tough to win support at this international fora. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is expected to rely on its tested strategy of raising the Kashmir issue. But with the current mood against Pakistan which is continuing to became a safe haven for terrorists, it will have to show concrete steps against terror groups.
For this session of the UNGA, India, apart from terrorism, will focus on the issues of climate change, people-centric migration and peacekeeping.
In order to push out Rohingyas from the Indian territory, India had cited their links with the terror bodies. It remains to be seen if Swaraj talks about migration and India's response to it.
