Must isolate nations backing terrorism: India at SCO meet

New Delhi, July 4

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reminded the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) that priority must naturally be given to combating terrorism, which is one of the original goals of the body.

PM Modi’s message was read out at the SCO council heads’ meeting at Kazakhstan capital Astana by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Without naming Pakistan, the PM took a dig at the neighbouring nation, saying “many of us have had our experiences, often originating beyond our borders”. “If this is left unchecked, it can become a major threat to regional and global peace. Terrorism, in any form or manifestation, cannot be justified or condoned. The international community must isolate and expose countries that harbour terrorists, provide safe havens and condone terrorism,” he said.

Cross-border terrorism, he said, required a decisive response and financing and recruitment for terrorism must be resolutely countered. He reminded the gathered leadership that the meeting was happening against a backdrop of pandemic impact, ongoing conflicts, rising tensions, trust deficits and increasing number of hotspots around the world.

“These events have put a strain on international relations and global economic growth… have aggravated some of the problems that have emanated from globalisation,” he said.

We have also agreed not to take any measures contrary to the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

The PM cited the Chabahar Port in Iran, saying it “not only held great value to landlocked Central Asian states, but also de-risked commerce between India and Eurasia”. “As more countries seek association with the SCO as observers or dialogue partners, we must strive to communicate better and deepen our consensus. Granting English the status of a third official language at the SCO will be crucial,” he said.