ISLAMABAD: India’s Minister for External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday again highlighted the issue of alleged cross-border terrorism.

In his address to the concluding session of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, while referring to the SCO charter, Jaishankar said that progressing in one’s endeavours meant “being firm and uncompromising in countering the ‘three evils’”.

“If activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel,” he added.

No bilateral talks: Jaishankar’s visit centres only on SCO summit

He continued that “if trust is lacking or cooperation inadequate, if friendship has fallen short and good neighbourliness is missing somewhere, there are surely reasons to introspect and causes to address.”

“Equally, it is only when we reaffirm our commitment most sincerely to the Charter that we can fully realise the benefits of cooperation and integration that it envisages.”

Jaishankar stressed that “cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality”, adding that it should “recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty”. “It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit (…) It is axiomatic that development and growth requires peace and stability.”

He noted that the summit attendees were meeting at a “difficult time in world affairs”, adding “the two major conflicts are underway, each with its own global repercussions.”

Highlighting the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and extreme climate events, as well as concerns raised by debt and new technology, he questioned: “How should the members of the SCO respond to these challenges.”

“The answers lie in the Charter of our organisation,” he continued, referring to the SCO’s objectives of strengthening “mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness”.

At the outset of his address, Jaishankar congratulated Pakistan for its presidency of the CHG, adding, “India has extended its full support for a successful presidency.”

In a post on X following the summit, the minister termed the meeting “productive”.

“Signed eight outcome documents. India made a positive and constructive contribution to the deliberations,” he wrote.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024