In the meeting of Defense Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Defense Minister Rajnath Singh took a very clear and strong stand on the issue of terrorism. He said state-sponsored cross-border terrorism is a direct attack on the sovereignty of any nation and cannot be ignored under any circumstances.

He bluntly said that there should be no room for double standards in this matter and the SCO should not hesitate in taking appropriate action against countries that provide support, shelter or safe havens to terrorists.

Referring to Operation Sindoor, he said, India has made it clear that the centers of terrorism will no longer remain untouched by punishment. In his address, Rajnath Singh expressed concern over the global scenario and said that the world is currently going through a period of increasing unilateralism and conflicts.

He said that global consensus is weakening and situations of conflict are increasing. At such a time, it is important to ensure that this period does not become an era of violence and war but an era of peace and prosperity.

Recalling the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, he said that the thinking of “an eye for an eye” ultimately makes the whole world blind and before every decision one should think about what effect it will have on the poor and needy people. Referring to the horrific terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam on April 22 last year, he said that this incident shocked the entire humanity.

He said that during Operation Sindoor, India has made it clear that the centers of terrorism will no longer remain untouched by punishment. He also referred to the Tianjin Declaration issued last year, which outlined a collective and firm stance against terrorism.

This announcement is a testimony to the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and its supporters. Rajnath Singh said terrorism has no religion or nationality and any grievance, whether real or imaginary, cannot justify violence and killing of innocent people.

He praised the role of the SCO regional counter-terrorism framework and said that this forum is making an important contribution in combating radicalization, extremism and separatism.

He stressed that united and concerted efforts are needed to deal with these three threats, including eliminating safe havens of terrorists and rejecting any form of political patronage.

He said that in today’s time terrorism has become the biggest threat to the global system and in this background the relevance of an organization like SCO increases even more.

In his address he also raised the question whether the world needs a new order or a more organized world. He said that there is a need for such a system where every person gets respect and dignity, where differences do not turn into disputes and disputes do not become the cause of disaster.

Rajnath Singh said that the current crisis is not about the absence of any system, but about the tendency to question the established rules-based world order. He stressed the need to give priority to global consensus, co-existence, co-dwelling and compassion.

Describing the SCO as the home of ancient civilizations, he said the region has been a symbol of historical trade routes, cultural exchanges and adventurous traditions. In today’s time, when the outlook of the world seems fragmented and countries are becoming more self-centred, the role of SCO becomes even more important.

In the end he said that India is fully committed to making constructive contributions to implement the objectives of the SCO. He expressed confidence that SCO can be made a symbol of peace and hope by enhancing cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual trust.

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