NEW DELHI: The robust anti-terror action plan adopted by the leaders of G-20 on July 7 was an outcome of a suggestion put forward by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he had travelled to Berlin in May for the Inter-Governmental Consultations.During the IGC talks back then, Modi had influenced German Chancellor Angela Merkel to introduce the theme of global terror to the Leaders’ retreat at the G-20 Summit in July, according to people familiar with the development.Germany had earlier planned to have ‘globalisation and trade’ as the theme for the Leaders Retreat at the G-20 under its presidency. But Prime Minister Modi convinced Chancellor Merkel on altering the theme so that it would enable participating leaders adopt an action plan for countering terrorism worldwide.A G-20 Joint Working Group on terror is in the offing to implement the action plan adopted by the leaders. A victim of terror in the last two years, France also supported the idea when Prime Minister Modi met President Emmanuel Macron in Paris early June during his four-nation tour to Europe and Russia, one of the people cited above told ET.It is understood that Macron suggested adopting the theme to Merkel as Germany and France have taken the lead to keep the European Union intact in the post-Brexit era.“Europe has been feeling the heat of international terror in the past few years and the PM’s suggestion was immediately welcomed by Germany and France – two major European powers,” according to a person familiar with the issue.While the 2015 G-20 Summit in Turkey adopted an action plan on countering terrorism, it was not as exhaustive as the roadmap drawn up at Hamburg. India’s worldview on terror, its network and finances was brought into the mainstream during the 2017 meeting, said one of the people quoted above.Besides, the retreat on July 7 lasted for two hours and this reflects the seriousness participating leaders attach to the terrorism problem, according to people familiar with the development.“G-20 was launched as an economic grouping amid the global recession and it has now taken a strong approach in fighting yet another global menace – terror,” noted a source.Modi himself gave a forceful speech at that retreat. “Deterrent action should be taken against countries supporting terrorism. The entry of such countries in the G20 should be banned,” Modi said as the lead speaker on the theme of terrorism at the leaders’ retreat ahead of the 12th G20 Summit in Hamburg.Pointing out that G20 member states should exchange national lists of designated terrorists, Modi said that action should be taken against such people.The PM further suggested that legal processes, like extradition, against those supporting terrorism should be simplified and expedited. He also called for the formation of a counter-terror mechanism among the national security advisors of the G20 countries.Modi also called for the immediate adoption of the India-initiated Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) by the UN Security Council.The effort should be to build on Prime Minister Modi’s success in making terrorism the central issue for the G-20 leaders’ retreat. This is more important now that Mosul and Raqqa have been liberated from ISIS control. It is crucial to ensure that New Delhi works to ensure that countries work together to contain terror groups to ensure that they don’t regroup and tamp down on financial support for terror groups. It should also help rebuild countries ravaged by war.