• Source:JND
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Syed Akbaruddin, India's former permanent representative to the United Nations, slammed Pakistan for sponsoring terror attacks in India and said New Delhi considers it an attempt to undermine social cohesion and an effort to undermine economic momentum. Akbaruddin, while interacting with the Indian Diaspora in Johannesburg on Tuesday as part of the multi-party delegation led by the NCP(SCP) MP Supriya Sule, said India's economy is ten times more than Pakistan and added even Maharastra's economy is larger than the neighbouring country.

"India and Pakistan both started together as Midnight's Children. Our economy is about ten times or more than their economy. The economy of Maharashtra is perhaps larger than the economy of Pakistan," said former diplomat Akbaruddin. "Yes, this terrorist act led to the loss of a large number of lives, but it was much more. We see this as an act of undermining our social cohesion. We are a pluralistic country with diversity as our signature, yet we saw an attempt to undermine that social cohesion. More importantly, we see this as an attempt to undermine our economic momentum," he added.

India has become 4th largest economy, ahead of Japan: NITI CEO

India has become the fourth largest economy in the world, overtaking Japan, NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam said on May 25. Subrahmanyam said the overall geopolitical and economic environment is favourable to India. "We are the fourth largest economy as I speak. We are a USD 4 trillion economy as I speak," he said. Citing IMF data, Subrahmanyam said India today is larger than Japan. Till 2024, India was the fifth-largest economy in the world.

"We are now refusing to play cricket with another country"

He also took a dig at Pakistan and said India refused to play cricket with Islamabad despite the game being a passion for Indians. Akbaruddin said the only country before now that we refused to play was apartheid South Africa. "Cricket is a passion for all of us. The only country before now that we refused to play was apartheid South Africa. I am raising this because we are now refusing to play cricket with another country. You need to understand the depth of our engagement and our revulsion at why we do this," Akbaruddin said.

NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule said at the event that the terror attack in Pahalgam has deeply hurt every Indian around the world. Sule said that Prime Minister Modi extended a hand of friendship to neighbouring countries in 2014 when he took oath as Prime Minister, but the recent attack has shown that peace efforts have not been respected.

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"When PM Modi took oath in 2014, he invited every neighbour to his oath ceremony to send a message that we wanted the subcontinent to be peaceful and happy and to grow together. But, unfortunately, with the Pahalgam incident, it has not happened. This incident has shaken every Indian everywhere in the world. I am happy South Africa has stood by India," Sule added. Sule stated that it's PM Modi's wish that Operation Sindoor must reach the global stage to show that India will not tolerate terrorism and will always stand for peace without sacrificing innocent lives.

Indian delegation to raise India's concerns

The members of the delegation are Members of Parliament Supriya Sule, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Manish Tewari, Anurag Singh Thakur, Lavu Sri Krishna devarayalu, Anand Sharma, former Minister of Commerce & Industry, V Muraleedharan, Former Minister of State for External Affairs, and Syed Akbaruddin, Former Permanent. Representative of India to the UN. On Wednesday, the delegation will visit Cape Town for meetings in the South African Parliament and with South Africa's Ministers of Government.

(With inputs from agencies)

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