New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the stage of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council Summit on Monday to deliver a blunt message against terrorism, with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif seated in the hall. Modi stressed that terrorism is not the problem of a single nation but a challenge to humanity, warning that “double standards” on the issue will not be tolerated.
In a significant diplomatic outcome, SCO member states, including China, strongly condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The joint declaration extended support to India’s fight against cross-border terrorism. Pakistan, long accused of harbouring terror groups, too endorsed the statement.
The summit also offered striking geopolitical optics. Modi was seen warmly greeting Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the three leaders sharing smiles and animated exchanges. Their camaraderie underscored India’s ability to maintain strategic balance with Moscow and Beijing, despite mounting pressure from Washington. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, on the other hand, was left exchanging awkward glances.
Addressing the plenary, Modi called the Pahalgam attack “an open challenge to every country believing in humanity” and reminded members that peace, security and stability are essential for progress. Without naming Pakistan, he asked: “Can the open support of terrorism by some countries be acceptable to us? So many mothers have lost their children, and so many children became orphans. Recently, we saw a very disgusting form of terrorism in Pahalgam.”
He reiterated that India has long opposed terror outfits such as Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, and continues to resist terror-financing. “In the fight against terrorism, India stands firm on unity, and the SCO has an important role. Any kind of double standard is not acceptable,” he said, thanking nations that supported India after the Pahalgam attack.
The SCO declaration mirrored India’s stance, condemning terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations” and demanding that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of the Pahalgam massacre be brought to justice. It also stressed that using terrorist, separatist or extremist groups for mercenary purposes is unacceptable, and warned against “double standards” in counter-terrorism.
Diplomatically, the declaration is seen as a major win for India and a setback for Pakistan, which had to endorse the condemnation while its prime minister sat at the table.
By making terrorism the central theme of his address and ensuring that SCO adopted India’s language in the joint statement, Modi reinforced New Delhi’s global standing and turned the Tianjin summit into a stage where India’s voice on security and stability resonated loud and clear.
Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan respected the sovereignty and integrity of all members of the bloc and its neighbours.
Addressing the SCO summit today, the premier said: “Pakistan has always believed in the power of multilateralism, dialogue and diplomacy, and shunning unilateralism. And yet, to our shock and deep disappointment, the region witnessed extremely disturbing developments during the last few months. “Pakistan supports and respects the sovereignty and integrity of all SCO members and its neighbours,” he added.
Comments
Add new comment