Terrorism, organised crimes harm trade, businesses: PM Modi at BRICS summit

Asserting that terrorism and organised crimes harm trade and businesses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hoped that efforts by BRICS member countries will give a thrust to security cooperation against the menaces.

Asserting that terrorism and organised crimes harm trade and businesses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed hope that efforts by BRICS member countries will give a thrust to security cooperation against the menaces. "The atmosphere of doubt created by terrorism, terror financing, drug trafficking and organised crime harms trade and businesses. I am happy that the first seminar on BRICS Strategies for Countering Terrorism was organised. We hope that such efforts and activities of five sub-working groups will increase strong BRICS security cooperation against terrorism and other organised crimes," he said while addressing the plenary session of the BRICS summit here.

The Prime Minister said that 2.25 lakh people have lost their lives due to terrorism in the last 10 years. "According to estimates, there has been a loss of USD 1 trillion economy. This has also reduced the economic growth of developing countries by 1.5 per cent," he noted. Modi said that the growing people-to-people relationship will give energy to the partnership among the BRICS countries.

"BRICS countries should organise youth summits. In this, the youth of five countries should take part in activities like start-ups, hackathon, sports and creativity in large numbers. Students of BRICS countries in India will be given internships and fellowships every year to study subjects related to BRICS. We should also consider promoting the traditional sports of our countries," the Prime Minister said. The prime minister added that films can be an important means to enhance the relationship between the people of BRICS countries.

"India has the highest number of films made in many languages, and in the world. India will hold the BRICS Film Technology Symposium in Mumbai in March next year," he said. Modi also welcomed Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's decision to grant visa-free travel to Indian nationals.

"With the mutual recognition of visas, social security agreement and qualifications, we will provide a more conducive environment for people from five countries to travel and work," he said. The Prime Minister also congratulated the bloc members for the establishment of the BRICS Women Business Alliance and expressed his special gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Women's participation has increased in every sector in India in the last five years. In the last elections, women voters were equal to the number of men voters for the first time. By far, the highest number of women candidates also emerged victorious. The number of elected women leaders in our local self-government is more than 14 lakh." "Be it maternity leave or to reducing salary gap, we have taken many important steps in the last five years for women entrepreneurship and empowerment," he added.

The Prime Minister said that multilateralism, international trade and rules-based world order are grappling with serious problems. "Last year, we emphasised on reformed multilateralism. I am happy that the joint statement of this summit will recognise its need. To strengthen and improve the UN, WTO, World Bank and other international organisations, we must formulate a collective strategy," Modi further said.

The Prime Minister arrived in the Brazilian capital on Wednesday on a two-day visit to attend the 11th BRICS Summit. Atthe conclusion of the summit, the BRICS leaders are expected to issue a joint declaration. BRICS brings together five major emerging economies comprising 42 per cent of the world's population, having 23 per cent of the global GDP and around 17 per cent of the share and world trade. (ANI)

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