Terrorism among most serious threats to world peace: NSA Doval

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, which was triggered by the former’s attack from the Gaza Strip, National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval Tuesday underlined that terrorism was among the most serious threats to world peace.

Addressing a conclave of NSAs of India and central Asian nations in Kazakhstan, he said that irrespective of its cause, terrorism was unjustifiable.

Referring to the key issue of connectivity and economic integration with central Asian nations, Doval said that it was an area of priority for India.

At the same time though, the NSA said that it was important to ensure that connectivity initiatives were consultative, transparent, and participatory.

He said that such initiatives should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and adhere to environmental parameters, while ensuring financial viability, rather than becoming debt burdens, in an oblique reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

“In this context, the absence of direct land access between Central Asia and India is an anomaly,” Doval said.

“This absence of direct connectivity is the result of a conscious policy of denial by a particular country,” he said in an indirect reference to Pakistan.

The NSA said that this situation was not only self-defeating for that country but it also reduced the collective well-being of the entire region.

He underlined the advantages of including the Chabahar port in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Meanwhile, touching upon other issues, Doval said that India was willing to provide technological support to Central Asian countries related to the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) without any cost for their independent use.

“An association based on sovereign digital systems between India and Central Asian nations will boost commercial relations and also benefit people who travel to India for medical tourism,” he said.