Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to act in unison against terrorism, saying there should be no “double standards” in dealing with terror financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens. Addressing the annual SCO summit, he also said countries using terrorism as an instrument of policy must be sent a strong message.
Modi also spoke about the crisis in West Asia, the need to resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy, the importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan, and the need for connectivity projects to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. His remarks on terrorism were seen as directed at Pakistan.
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Speaking in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders, Modi said terrorism remained a serious challenge to humanity. “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,” he added.
On West Asia, Modi said the conflict showed how instability in one region affects the wider 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,” he 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. Modi also said peace and stability in Afghanistan were closely linked to the shared goal of a peaceful and secure 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.
On connectivity, Modi said India supported efforts that linked markets, eased trade and created new development opportunities. “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. 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.
Modi said his address was based on the three pillars of security, connectivity and opportunity that he had proposed for India’s vision for the SCO at the previous summit. Stressing that SCO cooperation should directly benefit people, he said, “Our greatest strength is the connections between our people. For India, the SCO is a confluence of great civilisations, cultures, and ideas. Over the next twenty-five years of the SCO, people-to-people ties should remain at the heart of our cooperation.” He added, “The true measure of our success should be how many new opportunities our efforts create for young people, how many new markets open up for our entrepreneurs, how much our farmers benefit from technology, and how much better the lives of our citizens become.” In his address, Modi set out India’s position on terrorism, regional conflicts, Afghanistan, connectivity and people-centric cooperation within the SCO.
With PTI Inputs
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
