MOSCOW: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday conveyed India’s strong solidarity with Russia in the wake of the recent terror attack in St Petersburg, he said the scourge of terrorism remains the primary security challenge for all peaceful countries.

Having successfully addressed the threat of terrorism for over three decades, he said, India will steadfastly partner all friendly countries confronted with the challenge of terrorism. Mr. Jaitley said India will continue to strengthen ongoing cooperation in counter-terrorism with its partners. 

Cautioning that terrorism was being reinvented in newer and even more dangerous manifestations, Mr. Jaitley said the manipulation of young minds by fundamentalist groups using new technologies and social media has already caused long-term damage to our societies. “One manifestation of this is the recent string of lone-wolf attacks in many countries,” he said. 

Addressing the 6^th Moscow Conference on International Security in Moscow today, Mr. Jaitley described as a Âpositive development the territory acquired by ISIS in the Middle East has begun to be effectively challenged by several countries. “This is reassuring and should be taken to its logical conclusion. Cooperation between major powers in this effort can become a template for similar steps elsewhere, he said.

Without naming Pakistan, Mr. Jaitley said that opportunistic efforts by some states should be resisted which go on to support terrorist proxies by training, funding or providing safe havens to such groups for their limited objectives. 

ÂDistinctions are still sought to be made between good and bad terrorists, despite all the evidence and experience to the contrary. Terrorism will recoil on those who nurture it,ÂÂ he told the conference. The Defence Minister stressed upon the need for a coherent and sustained international response to the global nature of terrorism which was now widely acknowledged. 

Describing the Moscow Conference has one of the most important global forums for discussions on contemporary security matters, Mr. Jaitley said that Moscow is one of the key centres for decision-making on global security issues in keeping with RussiaÂs significance and influence in world affairs.