Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called on the international community to isolate and expose countries that harbor terrorists, provide safe havens, and condone terrorism. He emphasized that terrorism in any form or manifestation cannot be justified.<\/p>\n
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered these remarks on behalf of PM Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, held under Kazakhstan\u2019s presidency in Astana.<\/p>\n
PM Modi highlighted that these events have significantly strained international ties and global economic growth.<\/p>\n
Emphasizing the SCO as a principle-based organization driven by consensus among its member states, PM Modi stated, “At this time, it is particularly noteworthy that we are reiterating mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, equality, mutual benefit, non-interference in internal affairs, and non-use of force or threat of use of force as a basis for our foreign policies. We have also agreed not to take any measures contrary to the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity.”<\/p>\n
PM Modi urged prioritizing the fight against terrorism, which he identified as one of the original goals of the SCO. He warned that unchecked terrorism could become a major threat to regional and global peace and called for a decisive response to cross-border terrorism, including robust measures against terrorism financing and recruitment.<\/p>\n
Addressing another pressing issue, PM Modi stressed the importance of combating climate change. He noted efforts towards reducing emissions, transitioning to alternative fuels, adopting electric vehicles, and building climate-resilient infrastructure.<\/p>\n
PM Modi observed that the SCO Summit was being held against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, ongoing conflicts, rising tensions, trust deficits, and an increasing number of global hotspots. He emphasized that these challenges have strained international relations and hindered global economic growth.<\/p>\n
Reflecting on India’s membership in the SCO, PM Modi recalled with appreciation that India joined the organization under Kazakhstan\u2019s presidency in 2017. He noted, “Since then, we have completed one full cycle of presidencies in the SCO. India hosted both the Council of Heads of Government Meeting in 2020 and the Council of Heads of State Meeting in 2023. The SCO occupies a prominent place in our foreign policy.”<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister also congratulated Iran, participating in the SCO Summit as a member, and extended condolences over the demise of former Iran President Ebrahim Raisi and others in a helicopter crash. He also congratulated Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and welcomed Belarus as the new member of the SCO.<\/p>\n
Jaishankar is leading the Indian delegation at the 24th Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State (SCO Summit) in Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The economic and security bloc now includes India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n