Referring to the latest terror strike at Pahalgam on April 22, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stressed the pressing necessity for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to remain committed to its original objectives of combat against terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
Addressing the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin, China, on Tuesday, Jaishankar urged a firm response to these dangers.
"Terrorism, separatism and extremism were the three evils for which SCO was established. Not by chance, they usually go hand in hand. We Indians recently saw a gruesome illustration in the Pahalgam terrorist attack of 22 April 2025. It was specifically carried out to sabotage Jammu and Kashmir's tourism economy, while planting a religious rift," Jaishankar told an audience that included Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
He also quoted the UN Security Council's condemnation, which is composed of present members of the SCO, that said: "The UN Security Council, some of the members of which are present today, passed a statement in which it condemned it in the strongest terms and 'underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice'.". We have indeed since done precisely that and will keep on doing so. It is essential that the SCO, to hold fast to its original aims, take a firm stand on this challenge."
Jaishankar recognized that the conference was being held at a moment when international affairs are characterized by turbulence and disruption. "We have witnessed greater conflict, competition and coercion in the past few years. Economic instability is equally perceptibly rising. The task before us is to stabilize the global order, de-risk many of its dimensions and navigate the process all while still grappling with long-standing challenges that imperil our shared interests," he stated.
Emphasizing India's positive engagement in the SCO, the minister identified contributions in diverse fields including innovation, digital infrastructure, and traditional medicine. "We will keep engaging with new ideas and proposals with a positive attitude as long as they are truly for our common good. It must be ensured that such cooperation is founded on mutual respect, sovereign equality and in accordance with the territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states," he stated.
In promoting closer integration in the SCO platform, Jaishankar urged faster economic ties. "For that to reach the next level, it is crucial that we resolve some issues of the present time. One of them is the absence of guaranteed transit in the SCO region. Its absence weakens the gravity of calling for cooperation in economic spheres. Another is to guarantee promotion of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC).". We are sure that it will keep building momentum," he added.
India also reaffirmed its continued support for the Afghanistan development, emphasizing the need to build up Afghanistan so that there can be long-term peace in the region. "Afghanistan has been on the SCO agenda for a long time. The imperative of regional stability is underpinned by our longstanding interest in the welfare of the Afghan people. The international community, and especially SCO members, must therefore raise their game with development assistance. India, for its part, will definitely do so," Jaishankar remarked.
Looking back at India's previous stances on the world's transition towards multipolarity, the EAM emphasized the importance of solidarity and common purpose among peoples of the region. "The world is today moving towards greater multi-polarity. This is not only in terms of redistribution of national capacities, but also the emergence of effective groupings like SCO.". How much we are able to contribute towards shaping world affairs will clearly depend on how much we are able to get together on a common agenda. That is, that we take everyone aboard," he added.
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