New Delhi: Asserting that terrorism cannot be compartmentalised, President A P J Abdul Kalam said it was imperative for the international community to come together to combat this menace.

"It is evident, even more than before, that terrorism is a global phenomenon transcending borders and regions that requires collective action to combat it," Kalam said at a banquet he hosted in honour of visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

He said as a long-standing victim of terrorism, India has repeatedly stressed that "terrorism cannot be compartmentalised and there can be no justification for terrorism on any ground, including ideological, religious, racial, ethnic or any other".

Action must be taken not just against the perpetrators of terrorist attacks but also against those States that support and sponsor such groups or provide them with safe havens. "India believes that the fight against terrorism has to be long-term, sustained and comprehensive."

With the targeting of open societies around the world, India and Brazil as large Democracies with vibrant and open societies, have reasons to be concerned about the vulnerability of Democracies to terrorist attacks, he said.

Kalam said co-operation between India and Brazil during the delicate negotiations pertaining to the establishment of a fair and equitable world economic order has set an example for the entire developing world.