JAN 17, (DNA) -Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asked Pakistan to “walk away from terror” if it wants to establish amicable relations with India.

Modi was speaking at the inauguration of the second edition of the Raisina Dialogue, an annual conference held in New Delhi, envisioned to be India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics.

In his speech, he said if Pakistan wants to build a relationship with India and have a dialogue, it must distance itself from “terror activities”.

“Those in our neighbours who support violence, hatred and export terror stand isolated and ignored,” Modi said.

The Indian premier said he extended an invitation to all members of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), including Pakistan, around the time he assumed office.

“I had also travelled to Lahore but India alone cannot walk the path of peace,” the Indian premier added.

Emphasising the importance of security in India’s “neighbourhood”, he said, “Security of our citizens is of paramount importance [but] self-interest alone is not in our culture or behaviour.”

“A thriving well-integrated neighbourhood is my dream,” Modi added.

Modi also played down India’s deteriorating relationship with China, saying having differences between two “large neighbouring powers” is not “unnatural”.

“In the management of our relationship and for peace and progress, we need to show sensitivity and respect for our core concerns,” he added.=DNA

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