New Delhi, Jan 12: Describing the Mumbai terror attacks as a "direct strike" at India's economic development, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday warned the hydrocarbon sector to protect assets from the risks from "state or the so-called non-state actors".

"The recent terrorist attack in Mumbai was a direct strike at India's economic development. This unpardonable criminal attack only underscores the risk all countries face from economic sabotage, irrespective of whether these acts are authored by states or merely carried out by so-called non- state actors," Mukherjee said while inaugurating the Petrotech Conference.

Cautioning that the global hydrocarbon sector would increasingly be even more vulnerable to such threats, he said, "Protecting these assets would not simply be a law and order problem for an individual country, whether an energy exporter or a consumer."

He asked the global community to co-operate to protect the supply routes and hydrocarbon assets to ensure stability of energy supplies.

"Stability of energy supplies, security of energy transportation and creation of new energy infrastructure and its protection has to be a common goal requiring coordination and co-operation of all countries," Mukherjee said.

He asked the global leaders present at the conference to pay attention to the safety and security of oil and gas installations and their transport infrastructure in their deliberations.

Bureau Report