The United States Department of State has said that India and Pakistan need to pursue closer relations with each other on the security front, while maintaining that Washington too has to maintain the same with both the arch-rivals.
"We need to pursue closer relations with India, with Pakistan, and they need to also pursue closer relations on the security front, certainly, with each other. And that's to the benefit of all of us, to be frank, and that includes Afghanistan as well, because there continue to be serious terrorist threats," Mark Toner, State Department Deputy Spokesman said during his daily news conference on Friday.
Responding to question on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on terrorism that there should not be a distinction between good and bad terrorism, during his address to the joint sitting of the Congress this week, Toner said, "I do agree with him; there's no justification for terrorism, and we all need to work in a concerted and coordinated fashion to address it, and we're trying to do so."
On being asked about Prime Minister Modi's remarks on the Congress being temple of democracy, he said U.S. is working to create a perfect democracy.
"We are only one form of democracy; there are many forms in the world. India is obviously the world's largest democracy. We believe it's the best political system out there, but we're not saying that our brand, so to speak, is the one for everyone. We're all working to create the perfect democracy."
Prime Minister Modi during his address at the U.S Congress on Wednesday asserted that that terrorism remains the biggest threat, as its philosophy of hate, murder and violence was spreading its shadow across the world, especially in India's neighbourhood.
He said that the need of the hour is for India and U.S. to deepen their security cooperation and lauded the U.S Congress for refusing to reward nations and organisations who 'preach and practice' terrorism for political gains.