Terrorism among most serious threats to world peace, connectivity key priority area for India: NSA Doval

Amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, which was triggered by the former's attack from the Gaza Strip, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday underlined that terrorism is 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 is unjustifiable.

Referring to the key issue of connectivity and economic integration with central Asian nations, Doval said that it is an area of priority for India. At the same time though, he added that it is important to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative, transparent, and participatory.

The NSA further said that such initiatives should respect 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, he observed. This absence of direct connectivity is the result of a conscious policy of denial by a particular country, Doval said in an indirect reference to Pakistan.

Doval said this situation is not only self-defeating for that country but it also reduces the collective well-being of the entire region. He also underlined the advantages of including the Chabahar port in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Meanwhile touching upon other issues, the NSA further added that India is willing to provide technological support to central Asian countries related to 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, Doval added.