Pahalgam attack challenge to humanity, SCO should question terror support: Modi
Pahalgam attack challenge to humanity, SCO should question terror support: Modi
M.U.H
01/09/202525
The “disgusting” terror attack in Pahalgam was an open challenge to every country believing in humanity, and SCO members should question whether the support of terrorism by some countries is acceptable, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told a gathering that included his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif.
Modi, who was addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin, urged members of the bloc to come together to clearly state that double standards on terrorism are unacceptable. The gathering also included Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Indian side had said ahead of the SCO Summit, for which Modi travelled to China for the first time in seven years, that New Delhi was expecting a strong condemnation of cross-border terrorism in the joint communique emerging from the SCO Summit. This was the first time that Modi and Sharif came face to face since four days of hostilities between India and Pakistan in May, triggered by Indian military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack.
“India has been suffering the brunt of ruthless terrorism for the last four decades. So many mothers lost their children and so many children became orphans,” Modi said, speaking in Hindi and without any direct reference to Pakistan’s role in supporting cross-border terrorism.
“Recently, we saw a very disgusting form of terrorism in Pahalgam…This attack was not only a blow to India’s conscience, it was an open challenge to every country, every person who believes in humanity,” he said. “In such a situation, it is natural for the question to arise: Can the open support of terrorism by some countries be acceptable to us?”
Modi said the SCO member states “must clearly and unanimously state that no double standards on terrorism will be acceptable”, and jointly oppose all forms of terrorism.
India believes the three main pillars of the SCO are security, connectivity, and opportunity, and security, peace, and stability are the basis of the development of any country. “But terrorism, separatism, and extremism are big challenges in this path…No country, no society, no citizen can consider itself safe from it. That is why India has emphasised unity in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
The SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (SCO-RATS) has played an important role in united efforts to counter terror, and India took the initiative this year to fight al-Qaeda and other terror organisations linked to it by leading a “joint information operation”, Modi said.
“We also proposed to increase coordination and take joint steps against radicalisation. We have raised our voice against terror financing,” he said.
In the context of connectivity, Modi said strong connectivity opens the doors to trade and builds trust and development. India backs initiatives such as Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor to boost connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia, but such ventures must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, he said, in an oblique reference to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is opposed by India since it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“This is also enshrined in the basic principles of the SCO Charter. Connectivity that by-passes sovereignty loses trust and meaning,” he said.
India’s presidency of SCO in 2023 focused on the opportunity for cooperation and reform by infusing new energy and ideas, Modi said. New topics such as innovation, digital inclusion, youth empowerment, and shared Buddhist heritage added to cooperation.
“To strengthen our people-to-people ties, I would like to make another suggestion today – a Civilizational Dialogue Forum should be created under the SCO. Through this, we can share our ancient civilisations, art, literature, and traditions on a global platform,” he said.
India itself has adopted the mantra of “reform, perform and transform” and is working on wide-ranging reforms, Modi said. “This is opening up new opportunities for international cooperation along with development in the country. I invite all of you to join India’s development journey,” he added.
Modi’s participation in the SCO Summit and his meetings in Tianjin with Xi and Putin come against the backdrop of a sudden souring of India-US ties over punitive tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump over Russian oil purchases.
The PM suggested the SCO can become a “guide to multilateralism and an inclusive world order” and pointed to the bloc’s evolution through the creation of four new centres focused on contemporary challenges such as organised crime, drug trafficking, and cyber security.
SCO member states can increase cooperation for reforms in global institutions such as the United Nations. “Keeping the aspirations of the Global South confined to outdated frameworks is a grave injustice to future generations. We cannot show the multi-coloured dreams of the new generation on old black-and-white screens,” he said.
