NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday delivered a blunt message at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting saying the bloc must adopt an "uncompromising" position on terrorism if it wants to stay true to its founding principles.
Addressing his counterparts from China, Pakistan and other SCO nations, Jaishankar said the April 22 Pahalgam attack was a "deliberate act to hurt Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism economy and deepen religious divides." He stressed that India's response has been resolute and in line with international expectations, citing a UN Security Council statement that condemned the attack and called for justice.
"We have done exactly that and will continue doing so," news agency PTI reported him as saying.
Jaishankar’s sharp remarks come amid China’s support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and Beijing’s repeated moves to block efforts at the UN to sanction Pakistan-based terrorists.
Without naming China or Pakistan directly, Jaishankar reminded the SCO that the group was created to combat the "three evils" - terrorism, separatism, and extremism — which, he pointed out, "often occur together."
"To remain true to its founding objectives, SCO must take an uncompromising position on this challenge," he said.
In a veiled reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Jaishankar also underlined that cooperation within the SCO must be rooted in "mutual respect, sovereign equality, and territorial integrity." India has consistently opposed the BRI as it runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Calling for greater collaboration, Jaishankar said deeper trade and investment between SCO members will require solving current bottlenecks like transit restrictions. He also pushed for the advancement of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which India supports to boost connectivity with Central Asia and Europe.
Addressing his counterparts from China, Pakistan and other SCO nations, Jaishankar said the April 22 Pahalgam attack was a "deliberate act to hurt Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism economy and deepen religious divides." He stressed that India's response has been resolute and in line with international expectations, citing a UN Security Council statement that condemned the attack and called for justice.
"We have done exactly that and will continue doing so," news agency PTI reported him as saying.
Jaishankar’s sharp remarks come amid China’s support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor and Beijing’s repeated moves to block efforts at the UN to sanction Pakistan-based terrorists.
Without naming China or Pakistan directly, Jaishankar reminded the SCO that the group was created to combat the "three evils" - terrorism, separatism, and extremism — which, he pointed out, "often occur together."
"To remain true to its founding objectives, SCO must take an uncompromising position on this challenge," he said.
In a veiled reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Jaishankar also underlined that cooperation within the SCO must be rooted in "mutual respect, sovereign equality, and territorial integrity." India has consistently opposed the BRI as it runs through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Calling for greater collaboration, Jaishankar said deeper trade and investment between SCO members will require solving current bottlenecks like transit restrictions. He also pushed for the advancement of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which India supports to boost connectivity with Central Asia and Europe.
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