Moscow [Russia], November 18 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday delivered a firm message on India’s uncompromising stance against terrorism, asserting that there can be “no justification, no looking away and no whitewashing” of terror in any form. He emphasised India’s sovereign right to defend its citizens during his address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in Moscow.
Jaishankar underscored the need for a “zero-tolerance” approach to terrorism, reminding member states that the SCO was founded to combat the “three evils” of terrorism, separatism, and extremism. He warned that these threats have only grown more severe in recent years, calling on the international community to remain resolute and united.
“We must never forget that the SCO was founded to combat the three evils of terrorism, separatism, and extremism. These threats have become even more serious in the years that have passed. It is imperative that the world displays zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he said. “There can be no justification, no looking away and no whitewashing. As India has demonstrated, we have the right to defend our people against terrorism and will exercise it.”
His remarks follow two recent terror incidents in India. On April 22, 26 civilians were killed in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba-affiliated proxy group. More recently, on November 10, a car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort killed at least 15 people and injured several others. The Union Cabinet later confirmed the explosion was a terror attack.
Calling for a unified global response, Jaishankar said India remains at the forefront of counterterrorism efforts. He also pressed for the modernisation and reform of the 24-year-old SCO to make it more flexible and responsive to contemporary challenges. Among the long-pending reforms he highlighted was adopting English as an official SCO language alongside Chinese and Russian.
He pointed to India’s contribution to the group’s evolving agenda, citing initiatives such as the SCO Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation and the SCO Startup Forum, both aimed at fostering innovation and creativity among young people.
“Let me now turn to the modernisation of the SCO. As the organisation continues to evolve, India strongly supports its reform-oriented agenda. We welcome centres addressing challenges such as organised crime, drug trafficking, and cybersecurity. As the organisation becomes more diverse, the SCO must be more flexible and more adaptable. To this end, the long-delayed decision to make English an official language of the SCO must be prioritised,” he said.
He concluded by reaffirming India’s commitment to contributing “positively and fully” to the organisation’s future direction, stressing that the SCO must expand its agenda and reform its working methods to keep pace with global changes.
The 24th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government was held in Moscow on November 17 and 18. The SCO includes 10 member nations—Belarus, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and India—along with several observers and dialogue partners.
India became a full SCO member in 2017, following its status as an Observer since 2005. It has previously chaired the SCO Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and the SCO Council of Heads of State from 2022 to 2023. (ANI)
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