Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for greater efforts to combat terrorism in South Asia, saying it's "a cancer that, if not checked, will consume us all," local media reported on Sunday. "The scourge of terrorism has (already) taken a huge toll on all our societies. It is a cancer that, if not checked, will consume us all. I would like to believe that we have the will and foresight to prevent such an outcome," the Indian Prime Minister was quoted as saying in the national capital on Saturday. Emphasizing the need for the South Asian region to prosper as a whole, Singh said: "South Asia cannot realize its full potential until and unless we solve our differences peacefully and develop the culture of solving our problems ourselves. Others can't solve problems for us." The Prime Minister, who inaugurated a conference of Speakers and Parliamentarians of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation countries, also said that India would go the "extra mile" to make it an effective organization that benefited all citizens of the region. "India provides opportunities for all of South Asia to benefit from its economic growth and vast market. We have opened our market and we are committed to pursuing policies that benefit the entire regional economy as a whole," he said.