New Delhi: When threats are global, the response cannot be just local, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday, urging the international community to come together to defeat globalised threats like terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, poaching and organised crimes.
He was addressing the 90th Interpol General Assembly being held here.
“There are many harmful globalised threats that the world faces — terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, poaching and organised crime. The pace of change of these dangers is faster than earlier. When threats are global, the response cannot be just local. It is high time that the world comes together to defeat these threats,” he said.
Referring to India’s fight against trans-national terrorism for several decades, he said: “Long before the world woke up to it, we knew the price of safety and security.
“But it is no longer enough that terrorism is fought only in the physical space. It is now spreading its presence through online radicalization and cyber threats. At the click of a button, an attack can be executed or systems can be brought to their knees,” he said.
Stressing the need to further develop international strategies, the Prime Minister said that establishment of early detection and warning systems, protecting transportation services, security for communication infrastructure, security for critical infrastructure, technical and technological assistance and intelligence exchanges need to be taken to a new level.
He said that moneys earned through financial crimes harms the citizens of many countries.
“Often, this has been taken from some of the poorest people in the world. Further, it is such money that is pushed into evil activities. This is one of the major sources of terror funding. From illegal drugs that destroy young lives to human trafficking, from weakening democracies to the sale of illegal arms, this dirty money funds many destructive enterprises,” the Prime Minister said.
“There is a need for the global community to work even faster to eliminate safe havens. There can be no safe havens for the corrupt, terrorists, drug cartels, poaching gangs or organized crime,” he added.
Modi asked the police and law enforcement agencies to devise procedures and protocols to increase cooperation.
“Interpol can help by speeding up Red Corner Notices for fugitive offenders,” he said.
The Prime Minister quoted verses from the Vedas calling for universal cooperation to make the world a better place.
The 90th General Assembly of Interpol is being held from October 18 to 21. The General Assembly is Interpol’s supreme governing body and meets once a year to take key decisions related to its functioning.
It is attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Interpol President Ahmed Naser Al Raisi and Secretary General Jurgen Stock and CBI Director Subodh Kumar Jaiswal. The meeting has drawn delegations from 195 Interpol member countries.
