New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to take collective action against the complete network that sustains terrorism, warning against countries using terror as an instrument of state policy.
Addressing the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Modi said the international community must dismantle the structures that enable terrorism, from financing and recruitment to radicalisation and safe havens.
“Terrorism is a major threat to humanity,” Modi said, adding that the response must move beyond an “action-reaction” approach.
He said countries could not be allowed to treat terrorism as a “strategic asset” through state policy or provide shelter and support to terrorists.
The Prime Minister made the remarks in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, though he did not name Pakistan directly.
Modi also cautioned against selective approaches in the global campaign against terrorism, saying there could be no place for “double standards” in dealing with the threat.
Peace and security, he said, form the first pillar of India’s vision for the SCO, alongside connectivity and opportunity.
Turning to Afghanistan, Modi said stability in the country was closely linked to the larger objective of building a peaceful and secure Eurasia. India, he said, has continued to support Afghanistan through development and humanitarian assistance and would maintain its engagement.
On the situation in West Asia, the Prime Minister said conflicts have consequences far beyond the regions in which they occur. He pointed to their impact on energy security, maritime trade and global supply chains, with the Global South bearing a significant share of the burden.
India’s position, he said, remains that tensions and wars cannot be resolved on the battlefield and must instead be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.
Modi also called attention to the growing challenge of drug trafficking, describing it as a serious threat to both young people and regional security. He urged stronger cooperation through SCO mechanisms dealing with security, organised crime, information security and narcotics, and called for these platforms to facilitate practical coordination and timely action.
The Prime Minister said the success of SCO cooperation should ultimately be reflected in the lives of ordinary citizens. People-to-people connections, he said, remain among the grouping’s greatest strengths.
Looking ahead to the next 25 years of the SCO, Modi called for citizens to remain at the centre of the organisation’s agenda. He said its progress should be assessed by the opportunities available to young people, the markets opened for entrepreneurs, the benefits of technology reaching farmers and improvements in the lives of people.
The summit is being hosted by Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov, who currently holds the SCO chair.
The meeting has brought together several regional leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
BI Bureau
