Modi talks tough on terror, woos investors

Though the puritans could fault him for invoking India’s regional prima donna status in a foreign land, for Prime Minister it was a well-chosen forum to address his constituency both abroad and back home and drive home the point that his government was committed to <g data-gr-id="40">fight</g> terror and usher in development.

While the Prime Minister assiduously mentioned of all the SAARC countries and the relationship he has been able to establish with them in the past one year, he launched a frontal attack on Pakistan for promoting terror without naming the neighbouring country. “Good Taliban, bad Taliban...good Terror, bad Terror...this won’t work. A decision has to be taken - are you with terrorism or with humanity,” said Modi adding, “The intended recipients will get the message.”

Underscoring the commitment expressed by India and the United Arab Emirates in fighting terror, the Joint Statement released by the two nations earlier in the day said, “The two nations reject extremism and any link between religion and terrorism. They condemn efforts, including by states, to use religion to justify, support and sponsor terrorism against other countries.” The statement thinly disguised indictment of Pakistan. The statement also called for the dismantling of “terrorism infrastructure” and the need to bring “perpetrators of terrorism to justice”.

Earlier in the day inviting investors from UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India has an immediate investment opportunity of $1 trillion and the government will take urgent steps to address concerns of the businessmen from this country and erase “deficit of 34 years”.

Modi also said his government was rectifying the legacy of earlier regimes and his immediate priority would be to kickstart the things which were stalled by the “indecisiveness and lethargy” of past governments.

“I have got some problems in legacy. I can not take only the good points and leave aside the problems... Some things were stalled due to the indecisiveness and lethargy of the governments (in the last)... It is my priority to kickstart those things,” Modi said while addressing the business leaders from the UAE here at the Masdar City.

Modi, who is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit UAE in the last 34 years, said India has huge investment opportunities for investors from the UAE.