India has shown zero tolerance for terrorism
Rajnath Singh has urged Shanghai Cooperation Organization members to take a united stand against extremism
India has demonstrated zero tolerance for terrorism and will not hesitate to target terrorists wherever they are, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
Singh, who is in Qingdao, China for a meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense ministers, called on all members of the group to "unequivocally" condemn terrorism.
"India's zero tolerance for terrorism is manifest today through its actions. This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism," he said.
Regarding New Delhi's strikes on May 7 against suspected terrorist facilities in Pakistani-controlled territory, the Indian defense minister added: "We have shown that epicenters of terrorism are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them."
Singh said SCO members should tackle common challenges "related to peace, security, and [a] trust deficit." He added, "India believes that reformed multilateralism can help build cooperation to prevent conflict between countries by creating mechanisms for dialogue and collaboration. No country, however large and powerful, can manage alone."
The defense minister stressed that peace and prosperity are incompatible with terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by non-state actors and terrorist groups. "It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture, and utilize terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences," Singh said in a veiled reference to Pakistan. "Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists."
At the SCO meeting, India refused to sign a joint statement. "On our side, India wanted concerns on terrorism reflected in the document which was not acceptable to one particular country and therefore the statement was not adopted," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a briefing in New Delhi on Thursday.
In an interview with RT this week, Indian MP Shashi Tharoor said Pakistan continues to provide safe haven for terrorists and allows them to freely operate training camps.
Pakistan has denied allegations of involvement in terrorist activities in India.
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