PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to confront countries using terrorism as an instrument of State policy and reject “double standards” in the collective fight against terror financing and recruitment, remarks widely viewed as a direct swipe at Pakistan. “Terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to humanity as a whole. In the fight against terrorism, we cannot remain confined to an action-reaction approach,” he said. “We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens. We must speak with one voice and make it clear that there can be no place for double standards on this serious issue,” he said. “We must send a strong message to countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide safe haven and support to terrorists that terrorism can never be a strategic asset for anyone,” Modi added. In the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chinese PresidentXi Jinping and many other global leaders, Modi said that“we cannot remain confined to an action-reaction approach” in the fight against terrorism as terrorist activities continued to pose a serious challenge to humanity. Calling for decisive action within the SCO, the Prime Minister advocated for the comprehensive dismantling of terrorist ecosystems, including funding networks, recruitment pipelines, and territorial sanctuaries. He further affirmed that states utilising terrorism as a policy tool must be warned that terrorism can never be a “strategic asset for anyone.” Modi, expressing concerns over the West Asia crisis, said India has consistently called for all tensions and conflicts to be resolved not on the battlefield, but through dialogue and diplomacy.

 

The Prime Minister, in an apparent reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), said connectivity projects should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries as it is the fundamental spirit of the SCO Charter. India has been critical of BRI as part of it passes through Pakistan-o ccupied Kashmir. H o w e v e r , the central theme of the P r i m e M i n i s t e r ’ s address appeared to be his call to the SCO to work unitedly to combat terrorism. His remarks were largely seen as directed at Pakistan’s support to various terror groups. The Prime Minister, delving into the situation inWest Asia, said it demonstrated that a conflict in one region does not remain confined to that region only as its impact is felt across the world. “In today’s interconnected world, the scope of security has become even broader. The crisis in West Asia has demonstrated that a conflict in one region does not remain confined to that region.” “Its impact is felt across the world, affecting energy security, maritime trade, and supply chains. The countries of the Global South bear the greatest brunt of such disruptions,” Modi said. “Therefore, India has consistently called for all tensions and conflicts to be resolved not on the battlefield, but through dialogue and diplomacy,” he added. The Prime Minister also touched upon the importance of peace and stability for a peaceful Eurasia. “Our shared aspiration for a peaceful and secure Eurasia is also closely linked to peace and stability in Afghanistan. India has been contributing to the development and provision of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan and will continue to do so,” he said.

 

Modi also underlined the importance of improving connectivity and said India supports all efforts that connect markets, facilitate trade, and open up new avenues for development. “However, it is equally essential that such efforts respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. This is also the fundamental spirit of the SCO Charter,” he said. “Going forward, the scope of connectivity will become even broader. Along with roads, railways, and air corridors, we must simplify customs processes, promote digital documentation, and make logistics networks more efficient,” he said. PRESIDENT XI URGES SCO MEMBER STATES TO MAKE SECURITY A KEY PRIORITY: CHINESE President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on the members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to make security a key priority and crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, transnational organised crimes, drug trafficking and telecom fraud. “We should stay committed to taking security as a key goal, and foster an environment of common security. We should pursue coordinated measures to tackle traditional and non-traditional security threats,” Xi said while addressing the SCO summit in the Kyrgyz capital attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and others.