External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reaffirmed India's uncompromising position against terrorism during the 24th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting held in Moscow from 17–18 November.

Speaking firmly, he declared that there could be “no justification, no looking away and no whitewashing” when it comes to terrorism and underscored India's sovereign right to defend its citizens.

Jaishankar reminded member states that the SCO was originally founded to combat the “three evils” of terrorism, separatism and extremism. He noted that these threats had grown more pronounced over the years, making it essential for the international community to maintain a zero-tolerance approach toward terrorism in all forms.

The minister’s remarks came amid renewed concerns over transnational terror activities and recent terror incidents in India. On 22 April, a deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region claimed 26 civilian lives, an assault blamed on The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy. More recently, on 10 November, a car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort killed at least 15 people, prompting the Union Cabinet to designate the explosion a terror act.

Jaishankar stressed that India would continue to exercise its right to defend against terrorism and called for a unified response within the SCO framework. He argued that selective approaches or political justifications only embolden perpetrators, urging member nations to act collectively against terror networks and their supporters.

Turning to institutional reform, Jaishankar emphasised that the SCO must evolve to reflect the realities of a changing global order. He called for an expanded agenda, greater adaptability, and fresh thinking in addressing contemporary challenges such as organised crime, drug trafficking and cybersecurity.

A key element of his proposal included modernising the organisation’s functioning and languages. Highlighting the need for inclusivity and efficiency, he pressed for the long-pending decision to make English one of the SCO’s official languages, complementing Russian and Chinese.

According to the minister, this step would enhance communication, transparency, and participation across member and observer states.

The External Affairs Minister also underlined India’s contribution to the SCO’s developmental agenda, particularly through initiatives promoting youth innovation and start-ups.

He cited India’s initiatives such as the SCO Start-up Forum and the SCO Special Working Group on Start-ups and Innovation as examples of cooperation aimed at empowering the younger generation and driving regional growth through technology and creativity.

Concluding his address, Jaishankar reiterated India’s commitment to playing a constructive role within the SCO. He said the organisation must move beyond traditional roles to embrace broader cooperation in an era of complex security and economic challenges. India, he affirmed, would contribute “positively and fully” to advancing the SCO’s mission.

The SCO, comprising ten member states including India, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, remains one of the largest regional groupings in Eurasia.

India joined as a full member in 2017 after serving as an observer since 2005 and has since chaired both the Council of Heads of Government in 2020 and the Council of Heads of State from 2022 to 2023.

Based On ANI Report