External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to take an uncompromising position against terrorism, separatism, and extremism. He highlighted the 22 April 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam as a grim reminder of the threat.
Addressing the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin, China, Jaishankar noted that the attack targeted Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism sector and aimed to provoke religious division. The gathering included Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
“The three evils that SCO was founded to combat — terrorism, separatism, and extremism — often occur together,” said Jaishankar. “The United Nations Security Council condemned the Pahalgam attack in the strongest terms. It stressed the need to hold perpetrators accountable. We have done exactly that and will continue doing so.”
Call for Stability and Respect Among Members
Jaishankar stressed that the meeting was taking place at a time of ‘considerable disorder’ in the global system. He pointed to rising conflicts, coercion, and economic instability, urging SCO members to stabilise the international order and resolve long-standing challenges.
The External Affairs Minister added that India had taken various initiatives in the SCO, including efforts in start-ups, innovation, traditional medicine, and digital public infrastructure. He called for cooperation based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, and territorial integrity.
Trade, Transit, and Afghanistan Top the Agenda
The EAM called for deeper collaboration within the SCO through enhanced trade, investment, and people-to-people exchanges. He underlined the need to resolve issues such as lack of assured transit within the SCO space, which he said hinders economic cooperation.
Jaishankar also pushed for greater momentum in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
On Afghanistan, he reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting development in the war-torn country.
“Regional stability demands attention to Afghan welfare. SCO members must step up their development efforts. India will certainly do so,” he further noted.
Jaishankar concluded by stressing the importance of unity among SCO members in shaping a multipolar world. He said the success of the organisation would depend on building consensus and working on shared goals.
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