One of the greatest strengths of India's fight against terrorism lies in its being a secular and multi-cultural society, Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said on Tuesday.
India, Sharma said, is home to people from different religions like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Sikhism and is a melting pot like New York, which is what gives the country one of its biggest strengths to fight terrorism.
"Everybody respects each other's culture and religion and that is vital for us," Sharma, talking at the Asia Society on Resurgent India and its Engagement with the World, said.
He mentioned how New Delhi is working with Pakistan to improve the security environment and to stop violence across its border.
"We have been holding talks, but every time we make some progress, some acts of terrorism on our soil halt the process. Yet, we are sincere in our commitment to move the process forward," he said.
Sharma said New Delhi has urged Islamabad to act against terrorism in the same way like the United States, United Kingdom and India.
"We hope that this time nothing is done that causes setback to the process. We do not want anymore bloodshed," he said.
In his hour-long speech, Sharma touched upon a number of issues, including India's strengths and weaknesses. The three strengths of India, he said, included its being a democracy of one-billion-plus people, its demographic profile with two-thirds of the population being below the age of 35 and its large scientific and engineering reservoir.
Yet, he admitted that there are tens of millions of people in India who live in abject poverty and children who cannot go to school despite the fact that education in schools in free.
"We accept that there problems too because we are a democracy and we are prioritising things," he said.
He said the country does not want 'two Indias to grow side by side' as that will lead to social tension and conflict.
"We would like to make globalisation a win-win game. It has to take care of all sections of the people in our country," he said.
"We hope that the international community renders its duty and responsibility towards the less privileged countries."
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