Your Excellency, Mr. Michael Moussa Adamo, Hon’ble Foreign Minister of the Gabonese Republic, and President of the UN Security Council;

Hon’ble Ministers, Heads of Delegations of the UN Security Council Member States;

Your Excellency, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, UN Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism;

important civil society stakeholders who have travelled across the world for this briefing;

Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj;

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me begin by thanking all of you for traveling to Mumbai to attend this informal briefing of the Counter Terrorism Committee of the UN Security Council today.

2. Your presence here demonstrates the commitment that each one of you and your countries and all other stakeholders from various organizations have shown towards combating the common threat of terrorism. It expresses too our collective resolve at strengthening the multilateral efforts led by the United Nations to address this threat holistically and collectively.

3. Terrorism is a serious threat to the international peace and security, indeed to the entire humanity. We have heard the voices of its victims today. Their loss is immeasurable and can never be made up.

4. However, it is incumbent on us, as responsible members of the international community, to remember their trauma and to persevere in our efforts to bring the perpetrators of terrorism to justice. We owe this to every victim of terrorism across the world.

5. Even as the Mumbai terrorist attacks were unfolding on 28 November in 2008, the UN Security Council met and in one voice condemned this act of cross-border terrorism and said, I quote:

The Members of the Council "underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and urged all States to cooperate with the Indian authorities in this regard. All acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation”.

6. In another month, we will be observing the 14th anniversary of these ghastly attacks on Mumbai in November 2008. While one of the terrorists was captured alive, prosecuted, and convicted by the highest court in India, the key conspirators and planners of the 26/11 attacks continue to remain protected and unpunished. When it comes to proscribing some of these terrorists, the Security Council has regrettably been unable to act in some cases because of political considerations. This undermines our collective credibility and our collective interests.

7. A key aspect of combating terrorism is to effectively curb terror financing. Today, the Counter Terrorism Committee will also be hearing from experts on "Countering Financing of Terrorism in the Local and Regional Context”.

Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

8. We all know that money is the lifeblood of terrorism. Terrorist organizations require funds and resources to maintain their organizational functions and undertake activities. The reality that terrorism continues to exist and expand points to an underlying truth: that terrorism continues to get the necessary financial resources to thrive. In this regard, therefore, I would like to make FIVE points for the Committee’s consideration:

i) Effective and sustained efforts at countering terror financing is at the heart of the issue of countering terrorism. Normative efforts at the UN need to be coordinated through collaboration with other fora like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Egmont Group.

ii) We need to ensure that the effective and transparent functioning of the Security Council sanctions regime and make sure that they are not rendered ineffective for political reasons. Objective and evidence based proposals for listing of terrorist groups, especially those that curb their access to financial resources must be seen through.

iii) International cooperation and concerted action against terrorists and their sponsors, including through dismantlement of terrorist safe havens, sanctuaries, training grounds and financial and ideological as well as political support structures, are critical imperatives to defeat this scourge.

iv) Terrorism’s nexus with transnational organized crime, illicit drugs and arms trafficking is now well established. It is important that we recognize these linkages and strengthen multilateral efforts to break them.

v) Over the years, terrorist groups have diversified their funding portfolio. They have also begun to exploit the anonymity afforded by new and emerging technologies such as virtual currencies for fundraising and finances. In this regard, we look forward to the deliberations at the Special Meeting of the Committee tomorrow in New Delhi to provide innovative solutions for the international community to consider.

9. Terrorism may have plagued several regions of the world. We, in India, understand its cost more than others. But with that experience comes the steeling of national resolve. Decades of cross border terror has not and will not weaken our commitment to fight back. 

10. Our real tribute to the victims will be to rededicate ourselves to combating and eliminating the menace of terrorism. And this by stronger determination and joint action. We must rise above our political differences to address this scourge. The battle against terrorism must be fought resolutely at all fronts, all situations and all places. We cannot be found wanting in our efforts. As the UN Secretary General stated, "Terrorism is pure evil, one with which we can never compromise”

11. I am confident that today’s briefing on this important aspect of combating terrorism will assist the international community in that direction.

I thank you for your attention.