Xiamen,
In a major diplomatic win for India, BRICS countries today named for the first time Pakistan-based terror groups, including the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), for causing violence in the region and said those supporting terror acts must be held accountable.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was joined by Presidents Xi Jinping of China, Vladimir Putin of Russia, Michael Temer of Brazil and Jacob Zuma of South Africa in denouncing terror activities of such groups, as they expressed determination to collectively fight the scourge.

At last year’s BRICS Summit in Goa, China had opposed the inclusion of the Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits in the declaration. China has in the past shielded its “all-weather ally” even after Islamabad was pilloried by India, the US and other countries for harbouring terrorists.

The 43-page “Xiamen Declaration”, adopted at the end of the five-nation BRICS plenary today, stressed the need for immediate cessation of violence in Afghanistan.

It expressed “concern” over the security situation in the region and the violence caused by the Taliban, Islamic State, Al-Qaida and its affiliates, including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, LeT, JeM, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The ETIM is active in China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and seeks to establish a separate “East Turkistan”.

The mention of LeT and JeM is seen as a takeaway for India as it reflects a slight shift in China stance. The Chinese foreign ministry later said terrorist outfits like JeM, LeT and the Haqqani network had been included in the declaration due to concerns about their “violent activities”.

Spokesman Geng Shuang, however, skirted a question on whether the naming of JeM marks a change in Beijing’s stand of opposing the UN ban against group’s chief Masood Azhar. “On the counter-terrorism cooperation among BRICS countries, we are very satisfied with the achievements made,” he said.