India, Portugal sign 7 pacts across sectors to boost ties

The Dollar Business Bureau

In order to enhance bilateral engagement, India and Portugal on Saturday signed seven agreements in wide range of fields including renewable energy, IT, defence and security, even as both the nations took an indirect dig at China for blocking India’s move at the United Nations (UN) to list Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) Chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist. 

In wide-ranging discussions between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart from Portugal Antonio Costa, while agreeing to strengthen the relations, also called for strict global action against the networks of terror and the nations harbouring the terrorists and emphasising that to combat terrorism, there should not be double standards. 

PM Modi stated to the media that he and Portuguese Prime Minister had discussions on the need for international community to take robust and urgent action against the fast growing and extensively spreading threats of terror and violence. 

On December 30, 2016 Beijing had blocked New Delhi’s move to list Pakistan-based JeM Chief Azhar as a global terrorist, at the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee. China was the only country in the 15-member Committee that has opposed the India's move. 

Both the leaders also called for eradicating terrorist infrastructure and safe havens, disrupting networks of terrorist as well as their financing, and asked for the adoption of UN’s Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. 

PM Modi said his discussions with Costa covered wide range of India-Portugal cooperation across several sectors. 

“We also decided that both the nations must focus on an action-oriented approach to realise the full potential of economic opportunities in our partnership. The agreements signed today are just one indication of our shared resolve to do exactly that,” he said.