External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj addressed inaugural plenary of Foreign Ministers’ meet of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abu Dhabi today.

Mrs.Swaraj said that the fight against terrorism is not a confrontation against any religion.

She said that every religion in the world stands for peace, compassion & brotherhood.

The Minister said that in the past four years, few relationships have seen as much engagement, or has been so transformed, as India’s relationship with  UAE and with the entire Gulf and West Asia Region.

The Minister said that Terrorism and extremism bear different names and labels and it uses diverse causes and in each case it is driven by distortion of religion, and a misguided belief in its power to succeed.

Mrs.Swaraj also said she carries the greetings of 1.3 billion Indians, including more than 185 million Muslim brothers and sisters adding that India’s Muslims brothers and sisters are a microcosm of the diversity of India itself.

This is for the first time that India has been invited to an OIC meeting as guest of honour.