Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called for united and decisive action against terrorism at the 26th Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, asserting that there can be no room for double standards in combating the global menace. Addressing the summit, Modi said conflicts cannot be resolved on the battlefield and must instead be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy.
The summit, held from August 31 to September 1, marked the 25th anniversary of the SCO’s founding, bringing together member state leaders to review regional peace, security, stability and future avenues of cooperation across the bloc. Modi’s remarks placed particular emphasis on dismantling what he described as the entire ecosystem of terrorism, including its financing networks, recruitment channels, radicalisation pathways and safe havens, rather than treating terrorism as a series of isolated incidents to be addressed individually.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan, linking developments there to the broader security of the Eurasian region represented within the SCO framework. Reiterating India’s three pillar vision for the organisation built around Security, Connectivity and Opportunity, Modi called for translating these principles into concrete, actionable outcomes rather than remaining at the level of stated intent. He said any connectivity initiatives pursued under the SCO umbrella must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member nations, a position India has consistently maintained in regional connectivity discussions.
Modi further underlined the importance of technology, innovation, start-ups, youth engagement and people to people ties as pillars of future SCO cooperation, and announced that India will host the first edition of the SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum later this year, positioning the country as a venue for deeper cultural and civilisational exchange among member states.
The summit concluded with the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration, along with four memoranda of understanding and more than 20 decisions and statements covering areas including climate action, nuclear safety, energy conservation and combating drug addiction, reflecting the breadth of the agenda taken up by leaders during the two day gathering. India’s participation in the summit underscored its continued engagement with the Eurasian security and connectivity framework represented by the SCO, even as it maintained its firm position on terrorism and territorial sovereignty throughout the proceedings.
