He emphasized that we cannot allow another "9/11 of New York" or "26/11 of Mumbai"

The contemporary epicenter of terrorism remains very much active, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said, highlighting that "old habits and established networks" are still alive, especially in South Asia.

While he did not name Pakistan, the reference to that country was obvious, particularly since he also mentioned the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Speaking at the UN Security Council (UNSC) Briefing on "Global Counterterrorism Approach: Challenges and Way Forward," on Thursday, EAM Jaishankar said that the threat of terrorism has actually become even more serious.

"We have seen the expansion of Al-Qaida, Da’esh, Boko Haram, and Al-Shabaab and their affiliates. At the other end of the spectrum are ‘lone wolf’ attacks inspired by online radicalization and biases," he said.

"But somewhere in all of this, we cannot forget that old habits and established networks are still alive, especially in South Asia. The contemporary epicenter of terrorism remains very much active, whatever gloss may be applied to minimize unpleasant realities," EAM Jaishankar emphasized.

He went on to say that by now, it is well established where and how terrorist organizations operate, and under what kind of protection. Activities like recruitment, financing and motivation are often done in the open, he added.

"The days when it could be said that we were unaware are now behind us," EAM Jaishankar pointed out.

He referred to terrorism as an "existential threat" to global peace and security that recognizes no boundaries, nationalities, or races.

He said that Thursday's briefing is a component of India's continuous efforts within the Security Council to revitalize the counterterrorism agenda, which is long overdue given how serious the threat of terrorism has actually grown.

EAM Jaishankar also identified the top four problems that the present counterterrorism architecture is now facing: ensuring the integrity and accountability of multilateral counterterrorism mechanisms and their working methods; addressing double standards in the fight against terrorism, raising concerns about politicization; and addressing the threats posed by terrorists' misuse of new and emerging technologies.

In his conclusion, he emphasized that we cannot allow another "9/11 of New York" or "26/11 of Mumbai" to occur and that over the past 20 years, great progress has been made in combating terrorism and delegitimizing its justification. He did, however, stress that this is still a work in progress.

"Combating terrorism is a battle in which there is no respite. The world cannot afford attention deficits or tactical compromises. It is most of all for the Security Council to lead the global response in this regard. Today’s briefing is another step in that direction," he said.