US Ambassador to India Richard Verma said on Monday that the inclusive model of India has kept its Muslims from joining the terror outfit Islamic State.
Speaking to media-persons who asked him why so few Indian Muslims joined the IS, Verma said, “India has been a model of inclusiveness.”
When asked about his assessment of threat perception of the dreaded terror group to India, Verma said it is for Indian officials to address that question.
“But as President (Barack) Obama said, this is a serious threat and we intend to intensify our strategies and it will require diligent efforts from all levels,” Verma said.
For countering terrorism in mega-cities, governments must create an ecosystem of cohesion and inclusivity, the US Ambassador said.
“We have to get to the root causes of unrest. As cities grow bigger, there is potential that certain sections of population become disaffected and frustrated. So there is an importance of good governance,” he said.
The US Ambassador also spoke of India-US cooperation on terrorism front including “shutting of the terror outfits finances and networks”.