‘Isolate and expose’ countries that harbour terrorists, provide safe havens and condone terrorism, says India at SCO summit

Astana, July 4

India on Thursday asked the international community to “isolate and expose” those countries that harbour terrorists, provide safe havens and condone terrorism, underlining that if left unchecked, terrorism can become a major threat to regional and global peace, in a veiled jibe at Pakistan and its ally China.

Delivering Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks at the 24th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Council of Heads of State here in the Kazakh capital, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who was physically present at the meeting, recalled that one of the original goals of the SCO is to combat terrorism.

“Many of us have had our experiences, often originating beyond our borders. Let us be clear that if left unchecked, it can become a major threat to regional and global peace. Terrorism in any form or manifestation cannot be justified or condoned,” he told the summit, which was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Russian President Vladimir Putin among others.

He said that the international community “must isolate and expose those countries that harbour terrorists, provide safe havens and condone terrorism”, in an apparent reference to Pakistan and its all-weather ally China which has often put on hold proposals in the United Nations to blacklist the Pakistan-based wanted terrorists.

“Cross-border terrorism requires a decisive response and terrorism financing and recruitment must be resolutely countered. We should also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalisation among our youth,” he said, adding that the joint statement issued during India’s Presidency last year on this subject underlines New Delhi’s shared commitment.

Later, Jaishankar delivered Prime Minister Modi’s remarks at the extended format Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State where he spoke about challenges, saying terrorism would surely rank foremost for many of us.

“The truth is that it continues to be used by nations as a tool of destabilisation. We have had our own experiences with cross-border terrorism. Let us be clear that terrorism in any form or manifestation cannot be justified or condoned. Harbouring terrorists must be strongly condemned,” he said, adding that the SCO must never waver in its commitment. “We cannot have double standards in this regard.”

He also said that the SCO extended family shares a commitment to reform the current international order. “This is only possible when those efforts extend to the United Nations and its Security Council. We hope that in the near future, we can develop a strong consensus on the way ahead,” he said.