'Terrorism, humanity’s challenge, not just India’s': PM Modi at SCO Summit

Tianjin, Sep 1: With Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the room, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, delivering his opening remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on Monday, expressed gratitude to "friends" for standing with India, while slamming the double standards of “certain countries” that openly support terrorism.

The Prime Minister stressed that India’s approach to the forum is built on three pillars - security, connectivity and opportunity.

"In the last 24 years, SCO has played a significant role in connecting the extended family of the Eurasia region. India, as a crucial member, has always played a positive role. India's vision and policy for the SCO is based on three important pillars. S for Security, C for Connectivity and O for Opportunity," he said.

Highlighting security as the foundation of progress, PM Modi remarked, "Security, peace and stability are the basis of every country. However, in this path, terrorism, separatism, and extremism are the biggest challenges. Terrorism is not just a challenge for a country's security but for the entire humanity."

"No country can call itself secure from terrorism. That is why India has stressed unity. In this, SCO RATS has played an important role. In this, India, leading the Joint Information Operations, took the initiative to fight against Al-Qaeda and other linked terror outfits," he added.

The Prime Minister reiterated India's consistent opposition to terror financing and any support to extremist groups.

Referring to the Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, he said, "India has been bearing the brunt of terrorism for the last four decades. Recently, we saw the worst side of terrorism in Pahalgam. I express my gratitude to the friendly country that stood with us in this hour of grief."

"This attack was not only an attack on India's soul but an open challenge to all the countries that believe in humanity. In such a situation, the question arises whether a few countries supporting terrorism openly should be accepted by us? We should speak in a united front that no double standards are accepted in terrorism," he stated.

PM Modi urged SCO member states to adopt a strong stance against terrorism and act collectively to eradicate it. He also underscored that connectivity initiatives which bypass sovereignty ultimately "lose trust and meaning".

"India has always believed that strong connectivity not only enhances visibility but also fosters trust and development. With this in mind, we are working on initiatives like the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor. This will help us improve connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia. We believe that every effort in connectivity should be inclusive and respect regional identities," PM Modi said.

"This is also mentioned in the SCO Charter -- that connectivity bypassing sovereignty loses trust and meaning," he added.

These remarks come against the backdrop of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Highlighting Opportunity as the third pillar of India's vision for the SCO, the Prime Minister said that under India's chairmanship in 2023, "new energy and thoughts gained momentum".

"Our effort was to take SCO beyond governments -- to connect common people, youth, scholars, and start-ups together and take them forward," he stated.

Proposing ways to strengthen cultural ties within the grouping, Modi said, "To enhance people-to-people ties in the SCO, I propose the formation of a 'Civilisation Dialogue Forum'. It will provide a global stage to share our ancient civilisation, culture, traditions, and literature."

Reaffirming India's developmental approach, he stated, "Today, India is moving ahead following the mantra of Reform, Perform and Transform. We have tried to turn every challenge into an opportunity. Whether it is Covid, global challenges, economic crises, or other obstacles, we have sought to turn every challenge into an opportunity."

IANS