EAM Jaishankar Flags Concerns over Terrorism, Extremism at SCO Meet in Islamabad

In a thinly veiled message to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said cooperation in areas like trade, energy and connectivity is unlikely to flourish if activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism.

In his address at a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Jaishankar also asserted that cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality and that it should recognise the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations.

The external affairs minister led the Indian delegation at the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) summit in Islamabad which was chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Jaishankar said trust was key for cooperation and the SCO member nations can benefit immensely if the grouping moves ahead collectively.

He said cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality.

"It should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty. It must be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit," he said, in remarks seen as an indirect reference to China's assertive behaviour on key issues.

"But most of all, our endeavours will progress only when our commitment to the Charter remains firm. It is axiomatic that development and growth requires peace and stability. And as the Charter spelt out, this means 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," Jaishankar said.

The external affairs minister underlined the need for every SCO member nation to strictly adhere to the charter of the grouping, highlighting its essence of strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good neighbourliness.

"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," he said.

"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," he added.

Jaishankar also referred to various global challenges.

"We meet at a difficult time in world affairs. Two major conflicts are underway, each with its own global repercussions. The Covid pandemic has left many in the developing world deeply devastated," he said.

"Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – are impacting growth and development," he said.

Jaishankar also described the challenge of debt as a serious concern.

"Technology holds great promise, as well as raising a new host of concerns," he said.