Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jordan King Abdullah II on Thursday expressed their firm resolve to combat terrorism and radicalisation as their two countries signed as many as a dozen agreements, including one for cooperation in the key area of defence.

The fight against terrorism was not against any religion but against a mindset that misguided the youth, Modi said as India rolled out a red carpet for the king, who is respected globally for maintaining the stability of Jordan in a volatile region and for promoting inter-faith dialogue and a moderate understanding of Islam.

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After a welcome ceremony at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the visiting leader delivered a special address on ‘Islamic Heritage; Promoting Understanding and Moderation’ at which PM Modi also was present.

‘’Today’s global war against terror is not a fight between different religions or people. It is between moderates of all faiths and communities against extremism, hate and violence,” the king said.

“What is heard in the news and what is shown about religion is what separates people,” he said. The King said that around the world, suspicions were inflamed by what different groups don’t know about others. “Such ideologies of hate distort the word of God — to stir up conflicts and justify crimes and terror. In his remarks, Modi said every religion promoted human values and, therefore, the youth should associate themselves with the humanitarian aspects of Islam and should also be able to use modern technology.

The global fight against terrorism also figured prominently during the official-level talks between the two leaders, T S Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the External Affairs Ministry said at a media briefing. He said the two leaders observed that terrorism posed a serious threat to both countries and expressed their keenness to intensify security cooperation, especially in the area of cyber security. The King spoke about India’s growing role in global affairs. He also appreciated the PM’s stand-alone visit to Palestine last month.

Asked to share some details of the defence agreement, he said it was aimed at making provisions for cooperation in areas like training, defence industry, counter-terrorism, cyber security, military medical service and peace-keeping.  The other pacts are in areas like health, culture, customs and mass communication.

The king also visited the National Security Guards (NSG) Campus at Manesar on the outskirts of Delhi and evinced keen interest in Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH).

In response to a question, Tirumurti said India has decided to give vaccines and medicines worth $ 5 million to Jordan for refugees it hosts from Syria, Iraq and Palestine.