India, Bahrain agree to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts

New Delhi: India and Bahrain agreed to further enhance cooperation in the field of security, counter-terrorism and the exchange of intelligence and information, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maiden visit to the Gulf nation.

Without naming Pakistan, the two countries called on the states to reject the use of terrorism, dismantle terrorist infrastructure and cut off both the support and funding to the terror organisations operating from its soil.

"Both sides called on all states to reject the use of terrorism against other countries; dismantle terrorism infrastructures where they happen to exist and to cut off any kind of support and financing to the terrorists perpetrating terrorism from all territories against other states; and bring perpetrators of acts of terrorism to justice," according to a joint statement issued following the successful completion of PM Modi's visit to the country.

In a recent visit to the United States, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had admitted that his country had about 30,000 - 40,000 terrorists operating on its soil. In addition, the country's apparent complicity towards terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), among others, is well known.

India and Bahrain reaffirmed their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, regardless of the identity of the perpetrators and their motives, and noted the need for concerted action by the international community against terrorism, including the comprehensive sanctioning of terrorists and their organizations by the UN.

The two countries agreed to focus on enhancing cooperation in energy, by covering the areas of joint exploration and training of human resources.

PM Modi congratulated Bahrain on the recent discovery of huge oil and gas reserves and highlighted the interest of Indian energy companies to pursue opportunities of conventional exploration as well as the development of newly discovered oil and gas assets in the gulf country.

Enhancement in cooperation to strengthen maritime security in the Gulf region was also agreed upon by the two sides.

Four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed by the two sides in the field of culture, space, solar energy, and on the roll-out of RuPay card. According to one of the agreements, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will collaborate with Bahrain's National Space Science Agency in the field of space technology. In addition, the two sides agreed to collaborate with the Kingdom with the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

Lastly, the two leaders reaffirmed the commitment to pluralism, values of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and religious freedom.