Dushanbe: Voicing India's growing concerns over the threats to international peace and security posed by terrorism, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on January 29 said "new directions" had to be found to tackle this scourge.

Addressing the Tajik National State University, Sinha, who is on a two-day visit, said, "New challenges have emerged. New directions have to be found against terror which wounds the borders, and strikes the innocent."

Referring to non-alignment, he said it was not an act of passivity. "It was a desire for balance, for non-interference, and for independence of action."

For most of the 60s and the 70s, India and several others chose to walk together along this path. "Our unity gave us strength. It also gave us ideas for economic co- operation. I think the time has come again for us to view its meetings with a renewed sense of purpose," he said.

Sinha held wide-ranging discussions with Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov and other leaders and discussed prospects of enhanced economic co-operation, particularly in hydroelectricity.

It was agreed that an official-level working group from the Trade Ministries of the two countries would be set up to discuss this. A joint business is also being established.

Tajik Airlines has decided to soon commence flights to India.

The minister inaugurated a cultural centre in Dushanbe. There is also a broad understanding between the two sides for the setting up of a food processing plant and an IT training centre in that country.

PTI