Context: India calls for greater cooperation to eliminate terrorism in all its forms.

• India placed this demand at the 17th Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue held virtually on the theme, 'The New Normal and Safe and Healthy Tourism'.
• Underlining that terrorism continues to pose a critical threat to global peace and security, India called for greater cooperation to eliminate the menace in all its forms.
• India emphasised that handling common challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, with ASEAN at its centre, require renewed coordination and cooperation.
• The Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), calls for a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, which promotes Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
• Even amid the ongoing pandemic, terrorism continues to pose a critical threat.
• There is need to strengthen efforts aimed at development of equitable and universal access to diagnostic tools, treatments and vaccines in order to promote safe and healthy tourism.
• Vaccines from India have started reaching India's neighbourhood -- Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Seychelles -- under grant assistance.
• Recognising the strong need to revive and rebuild the tourism sector in order to ensure jobs as well as for the protection of cultural and natural heritage, India is focusing on tourism promotion as a part of its 3Ts strategy -- trade, tourism and technology.
• At the end of the meeting, the 'Ankara Declaration' was adopted by all the Asia Cooperation Dialogue countries.
• Ankara Declaration on future cooperation perspectives will serve as an "important roadmap” for future Asia Cooperation.
• Turkey's presidency for the 2019-2020 term was also extended until September 2021 during the meeting.
• The last meeting of the forum was held in Qatar’s capital Doha on May 1, 2019.

Asia Cooperation Dialogue

• The Asia Cooperation Dialogue was established as an intergovernmental forum in 2002 to develop cooperation among Asian countries and improve the competitiveness of Asia at the global level.
• With 35 member countries, the forum has the highest number of attendees in Asia.
• Turkey launched its Asia Anew initiative in 2019 to improve ties with Asian nations in different areas.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-calls-for-greater-cooperation-to-eliminate-terrorism-in-all-its-forms/article33630159.ece?homepage=true

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