Terrorism has no nationality or theology, and nations must take a firm stance against it, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, where he addressed the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting on Tuesday.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should act decisively against those “who abet, shelter and provide safe havens to terrorists,” he noted, adding that there is no place for double standards on terror.
“The real test of collective credibility remains in consistency. We must not forget that terrorism has no nationality and no theology. Nations must take a firm and collective stance against terrorism,”
Singh noted that the 10-member bloc has condemned terror acts and ideologies in a common fight against the menace.
He recalled last year’s Tianjin Declaration which highlighted India’s firm and collective stance against terrorism, terming it a testament to the country’s zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism and its perpetrators.
“By tackling terrorism, separatism, and extremism without exception, we transform regional security from a challenge into a cornerstone for peace and prosperity,” Singh said.
He also called for forging a unified front to tackle terrorism, separatism and extremism by eliminating safe havens and rejecting any political exceptions, while drawing attention to state-sponsored cross-border terrorism that attacks a nation’s sovereignty.
Operation Sindoor, he said, showcased that “terrorism epicentres are no longer immune to justifiable punishment.”
Given the present global uncertainties, Singh said the SCO holds a pivotal role because today’s world view appears fractured and countries are becoming increasingly inward-looking.
“Do we need a new world order or a world which is more orderly? We need an order where every citizen of this world is treated with dignity and respect. We need an order where differences do not become disputes and disputes don’t precede disasters,”
The world should follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy and not of unrelenting force, the minister added.
