Delink terror from religion: PM Narendra Modi

United Nations: Making a strong pitch for delinking terrorism from religion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that a global response was required to effectively combat international terrorism propagated by outfits like the Islamic State (IS).

The threat posed by terror outfits like IS figured prominently during talks Modi had with King Abdullah of Jordan on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session on Friday.

Modi discussed with Abdullah ways to prevent radicalisation of youth and to counter extremist messaging, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said.

"Both leaders acknowledged that IS was one of the greatest challenges facing the international community. The Prime Minister said that there is a need to delink terrorism from religion," Swarup said.

"The danger posed by IS and the issue of terrorism came up for discussion. The Prime Minister said a global response is required on the issue of terrorism," an official statement said.

Referring to the long pending proposal of a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, Modi said the time has now come for the international community to speak in one voice on this important issue and adopt this global convention.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister commended King Abdullah for the strong leadership that he has shown in the fight against international terrorism.

He thanked the King for the support that Jordan had provided when Indian citizens were trapped in Iraq and Syria and have to be evacuated.

Raising the issue of UN Security Council reforms, the Prime Minister said it was inconceivable that a country as large as India representing one sixth of humanity was not in the Security Council.

"This was something we have been agitating for a long time. We want that the 70th anniversary of the United Nations to be an occasion for the international community to step up to its obligations and reform this very important body of the United Nations," he said.

The King of Jordan said he has always supported India's aspirations to be a permanent member of the Security Council and added that Jordan is a very important country in a very important region from India's point of view.

Abdullah said he valued India as a partner and wanted to increase the economic and security co-operation that Jordan has with India, Swarup added.