News Report: India, China Clash on Terrorism Ahead of BRICS Summit

Despite India's strong resolve to initiate a discussion on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism at the BRICS Summit, China says it will not allow India to rake up the issue.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – India's External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar has said that India will not put up with terrorism in the name of religion, indicating that the issue would be the main agenda of discussion by India during the BRICS Summit which is going to be held in Xiamen China from 3 to 5 September.

“Our position on terrorism is very clear, we have raised it at different foras and said that we strongly condemn terrorism and no one could justify and support it in the name of religion. I do not want to pre-empt what our leaders will discuss there. As far my knowledge is concerned, terrorism is an important issue,” Kumar said during a press conference today.

“We have to wait what our Prime Minister will discuss there and how it (issue of terrorism) will come out in the declaration document,” the spokesperson added.

Last year during the BRICS Summit in Goa, India had alleged that Pakistan was the ‘mother-ship of terrorism.'

This time, China has made it clear that it does not favour a discussion on cross-border issues between India and Pakistan as it would put the country in a tight spot given its friendly relation relations with Pakistan.

“We also noticed that India, when it comes to Pakistan’s counter-terrorism, has some concerns. I don’t think this is an appropriate topic to be discussed at BRICS Summit,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said.

India has been critical of China’s stand on shielding terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad's chief Masood Azhar from UN sanctions.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.