EAM Jaishankar Slams Terrorism At SCO Meet, Cites Pahalgam Attack As Example
He highlighted three evils - terrorism, separatism and extremism, which often occur together in his X post. He said, "Recently, we in India witnessed a graphic example in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. It was deliberately conducted to undermine the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir, while sowing a religious divide. The UN Security Council, of which some of us are currently members, issued a statement that condemned it in the strongest terms and "underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice". We have since done exactly that and will continue doing so. It is imperative that the SCO, to remain true to its founding objectives, take an uncompromising position on this challenge."
He highlighted India's commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and bringing them to justice.
Jaishankar emphasised the need for SCO member states to work together to stabilize the global order, mitigate risks, and address longstanding challenges that threaten collective interests, amid rising conflicts, competition, and economic instability.
"In the last few years, we have seen more conflicts, competition and coercion. Economic instability is also visibly on the rise. The challenge before us is to stabilize the global order, de-risk various dimensions and through it all, address longstanding challenges that threaten our collective interests," the EAM posted on X.
Jaishankar underscored the need for cooperation within the SCO to be based on mutual respect, sovereign equality, and adherence to territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states. He also mentioned India's initiatives in areas like startup innovation, traditional medicine, and digital public infrastructure.
"India has taken several initiatives in the SCO in domains ranging from startup and innovation to traditional medicine and digital public infrastructure. We will continue to positively approach new ideas and proposals that are genuinely for our collective good. It is essential that such cooperation is based on mutual respect, sovereign equality and in accordance with territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states," said Jaishankar.
Jaishankar emphasised the importance of addressing current issues, such as the lack of assured transit within the SCO space, to deepen collaboration and promote economic cooperation. He also highlighted the potential of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) to boost regional connectivity.
"Deepening collaboration within the SCO naturally requires more trade, investment and exchanges. For that to move to the next level, it is imperative that we address some current issues. One of them is the lack of assured transit within the SCO space. Its absence undermines the seriousness of advocating cooperation in economic areas. Another is to ensure the promotion of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC). We are confident that it will continue to gather momentum," he added.
Jaishankar stressed the need for the international community, particularly SCO members, to provide development assistance to Afghanistan, while ensuring regional stability and concern for the well-being of the Afghan people.
"Afghanistan has been long on the SCO agenda. The compulsions of regional stability are buttressed by our longstanding concern for the well-being of the Afghan people. The international community, particularly SCO members, must therefore step up with development assistance.
India, for its part, will certainly do so.," added Jaishankar.
He noted the emergence of effective groupings like the SCO in a multi-polar world and emphasised the importance of coming together on a shared agenda to contribute to shaping world affairs.
"The world is today moving towards greater multi-polarity. This is not just in terms of redistribution of national capacities, but also the emergence of effective groupings like SCO. Our ability to contribute to the shaping of world affairs will naturally depend on how well we come together on a shared agenda. That means taking everybody on board," said Jaishankar.
EAM Jaishankar held several high-level interactions on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers' meet.
He met his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)'s Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Tuesday.
In a post on X, Russia's Foreign Ministry shared, "Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of External Affairs of India @DrSJaishankar hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting."
He also met Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' meeting in Tianjin, China.
Jaishankar shared the update on X, he wrote, "Good to catch up with FM @araghchi of Iran, this time on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin."
Jaishankar is on an official visit to China to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting. He arrived in Beijing after concluding his trip to Singapore. This is also his first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, which severely strained ties between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar, along with other SCO foreign ministers, met Chinese President Xi Jinping.
His visit comes shortly after recent visits to China by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, both of whom attended SCO-related engagements in June.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also expected to visit India next month to meet NSA Ajit Doval. The meeting will be part of the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue mechanism, aimed at resolving the long-standing boundary dispute between the two countries.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Thailand-Cambodia Border Clash Kills Nine Civilians
(Bloomberg) -- A long-simmering border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia blew up Thursday as military operations escalated rapidly — with reports of F-16s, missiles, and artillery strikes across their shared frontier — resulting in the deaths of at least nine civilians. Both Southeast Asian nations accused the other of starting the clashes, which were reported at six locations and follow a build up of tensions since a Cambodian soldier was killed in an exchange of gunfire in May. Thailand said its fighter jets hit two Cambodian army bases near the border on Thursday, while Thai army reported that rockets fired from Cambodia killed several civilians, citing provincial authorities. The fatalities included an 8-year-old child, and 14 others were injured. The number of casualties on the Cambodian side remains unclear. Follow The Big Take daily podcast wherever you listen. Bangkok said in a statement that it's prepared to 'intensify' self-defense measures if Cambodia continues its attacks. Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Manet has asked the UN Security Council to convene an urgent meeting, citing Thailand's 'extremely grave aggressions.' Both the US and China sent advisories to their citizens about the clash, with Beijing saying it was deeply concerned over the attacks. Cambodia lacks air assets to counter Thailand's advanced jets, Bloomberg Intelligence analysts Eric Zhu and George Ferguson wrote in a note, but the country possesses Chinese-made KS-1C air defense systems. 'The dispute is escalating rapidly and could turn into a serious conflict if left unattended,' said Jayant Menon, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. 'Although the conflict is unlikely to spread beyond the two countries, it will disrupt trade and people movement, which will negatively affect the regional economy.' Thailand's baht and stocks fell on reports of clashes as they could further dent the outlook for an economy that's already reeling from the threat of a 36% US tariff on its exports. The baht, which earlier rose to its highest since February 2022, declined as much as 0.4% to 32.285 per dollar. Stocks declined 1%. The neighbors have a long history of border tensions, although relations have remained largely stable since the 2011 conflict, which left dozens dead. The last major flare-up centered on the Preah Vihear temple, a longstanding point of contention dating back to French colonial rule. Much of the contemporary border disputes between the neighbors stem from different maps based on the text of the Franco-Siamese treaties of early 1900s that laid out the boundaries between Thailand and Cambodia, which was then part of the French Indochina. Thailand also ordered the evacuation of civilians from at least four border provinces as a precautionary measure, the Interior Ministry said, while its embassy in Phnom Penh advised citizens to leave the country. Cambodia's defense ministry spokesperson Maly Socheata condemned the Thai military action, saying Thailand's use of heavy weapons and deployment of troops 'to encroach on Cambodian territory is a clear violation' of international law. Since the clash in May, both countries have massed troops along the frontier and limited land crossings that serve as vital trade routes. The fighting Thursday came just hours after Thailand expelled Cambodia's ambassador and recalled its own envoy from Phnom Penh in response to a landmine explosion that injured five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. In retaliation, Cambodia further downgraded diplomatic ties by withdrawing its diplomats, and requesting that Thailand do the same, according to Cambodian state media. The dispute has also shaken Thailand's domestic politics. A court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra pending an investigation into allegations of ethical misconduct in her handling of the border issue. Paetongtarn had attempted to defuse tensions in a phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, but the call was leaked, sparking backlash at home and protests demanding her resignation. She has until July 31 to submit her defense in the court case. After the clash in May, Cambodia called for the International Court of Justice in The Hague to help resolve four disputed land areas. Thailand, however, said it does not recognize the court's jurisdiction in the matter. Following a landmine incident last week in which a Thai soldier lost his leg, Thailand has initiated a diplomatic campaign targeting Cambodia. Bangkok has briefed foreign military attachés and diplomats stationed in the country and is seeking action under the United Nations' Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, while also engaging in bilateral efforts to resolve the dispute. --With assistance from Jon Herskovitz. (Corrects year in 10th paragraph to show there were more than one treaty.) More stories like this are available on
Deccan Herald
5 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Shaky truce: Decoding China's double game
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited China from July 13 to 15, to participate in the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) meeting, marking his first visit since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a confrontation with China's PLA. His visit comes at a time of heightened global disorder and complex geopolitical dynamics. 'The international situation, as we meet today, is very complex. As neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important,' Jaishankar said in meeting was diplomatically significant given the prolonged freeze in high-level visits and the ongoing military standoff at various friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While Jaishankar emphasised the need to maintain dialogue and respect mutual sensitivities, the context in which the visit occurred reveals the larger structural tensions between the two continues to advocate for cooperation with India, particularly in trade and economic engagement. However, it simultaneously maintains military pressure along the border and supports India's strategic rivals. India has repeatedly emphasised that border tensions cannot be delinked from the overall bilateral relationship. Despite this, China's strategy appears to keep the border issue unresolved, leveraging it as a psychological and strategic tool to constrain India's agreements on patrolling arrangements were reached just before the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan in 2024 and a partial disengagement occurred, Indian and Chinese troops remain face-to-face at many friction points. China's aim seems to be to keep India diplomatically stretched, focused on continental threats, and distracted from maritime, economic, and technological of Jaishankar's visit, tensions rose over India's engagement with the Dalai Lama. Indian leaders extended birthday greetings, while the Dalai Lama asserted that his successor would be born in a 'free country' – a subtle rebuke to China's claims. In response, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi warned that India was 'shooting itself in the foot' by raising Tibet-related embassy spokesperson Yu Jing criticised sections of India's strategic and academic community for making 'improper remarks' regarding the Dalai Lama's reincarnation. She reiterated that the matter is an 'internal affair' of China and demanded that India respect Beijing's sovereignty and sensitivities concerning Tibet. This reaction reflects a stark asymmetry: while China demands respect for its internal affairs, it shows little regard for India's core security duplicity is stark in its growing support for Pakistan, providing military hardware, satellite intelligence, and diplomatic backing. Over 80% of Pakistan's major defense systems are Chinese-made. Despite deadly attacks like the April 2025 Pahalgam incident, Beijing continues to shield Pakistan-based terrorists from UN sanctions. Adding to this, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have informally aligned to sideline Indian-led multilateral platforms – an evident strategy of regional encirclement. Yet, China expects India to respect its internal affairs while actively undermining India's the defence expert Brigadier (Retd) PK Sehgal notes, Beijing condemns terrorism in principle but blocks action against it in practice. Strategic analyst Seshadri Chari similarly highlights China's disregard for India's core security concerns, be it terrorism or territorial global influence stems largely from its economic might. Controlling 90% of rare earth exports and dominating manufacturing, Beijing has become indispensable to the global economy. India, too, remains reliant on China for key imports like Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), electronics, and rare Jaishankar raised rare earth restrictions with his Chinese counterpart, the broader issue persists: India and the world have allowed excessive economic dependence on China, giving Beijing enormous leverage. Even the US, under Donald Trump, attempted to challenge this dominance but softened its stance due to these Quad, despite its strategic potential, has not effectively addressed this geoeconomic imbalance. Without confronting the roots of China's economic power, the geopolitical contest remains lopsided. This unchecked dominance also shields China's internal repression from global scrutiny. In Tibet, forced boarding schools and 'Sinification' campaigns aim to erase cultural identity. China's manipulation of the Dalai Lama's reincarnation process is part of a broader control strategy. In Xinjiang, widespread abuses against Uyghur Muslims continue with little international outcry, muted by economic path the SCO meeting, Jaishankar indirectly criticised the organisation for not living up to its foundational principles of fighting terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Referring to the Pahalgam attack, he reminded the grouping of the UN Security Council's strong condemnation and pressed the SCO to take a firm stand against terrorism. He emphasised mutual respect and sensitivity as pillars for future ties, making it clear that China must also acknowledge India's concerns, not just demand continuing tensions, India-China trade has grown, revealing India's challenges in reducing dependence. This underscores the need for a deeper geoeconomic strategy rooted in self-reliance, supply chain diversification, and strategic partnerships focused on critical technologies and minerals. Efforts like the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative are in the right direction, but need much more relations today are not merely bilateral – they are emblematic of a deeper structural contest between two civilisational states with divergent worldviews. While China uses its economic and geopolitical clout to constrain India, it demands unreciprocated respect for its internal concerns. Unless India adopts a comprehensive strategy that addresses both the border dispute and economic dependencies, China will continue to dominate the narrative and the balance of power..(The writer is an associate research fellow at the International Centre for Peace Studies, New Delhi)
The Print
9 hours ago
- The Print
25 July, 2025: India-UK sign landmark trade deal & other news of the day
India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, addressing an open debate in the UN Security Council on Wednesday, said a ceasefire must be put in place in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. He emphasised that 'intermittent pauses in hostilities' are 'not enough' to address the scale of challenges faced by Palestinians, and asserted that a ceasefire must be implemented. Billed as the UK's most economically significant bilateral trade deal since leaving the European Union, the FTA was signed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The India-UK free trade agreement (FTA) will significantly improve market access and boost bilateral trade by around USD 34 billion annually, the British government said on Thursday. Ajmer Dargah admin draws flak Several Muslim organisations have criticised a notice issued by the Nazim or chief executive officer of Ajmer Dargah in Rajasthan, disowning liability for any accidents caused by ageing structures within the shrine's premises. The July 21 notice, signed by Nazim Mohammad Belal Khan, warned pilgrims about 'structural risks' within the dargah but said the administration would not be responsible for accidents. Eight militants arrested in Manipur Security forces have arrested eight militants belonging to different proscribed outfits from Imphal West, Bishnupur, Tengnoupal and Chandel districts of Manipur, police said on Thursday. Two of them were from the banned Kangleipak Communist Party. Meghalaya government raises minimum wages The Meghalaya government has raised the minimum wages of unskilled labourers to Rs 541 per day, according to a notification issued by the Labour department. Semi-skilled workers will now be entitled to Rs 583 per day, skilled workers to Rs 624, and highly-skilled workers to Rs 665, it said. India selected to host international space leaders The Karman Project, a non-profit, has announced that its flagship event, 'Karman Week 2025', will take place in Bangalore, hosted by SatSure, a leading applied earth intelligence company. Karman Project and SatSure share a long-standing relationship, with SatSure's founder and CEO, Prateep Basu, selected as a Karman Fellow in 2020. Opposition to protest against Bihar SIR in Parliament Opposition parties protested in Parliament for the third consecutive day on Thursday against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) held by the Election Commission of India. Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, along with MP Manoj Jha, have spoken about the possibility of a boycott. Three new judges take oath in Delhi HC Three new judges took oath of office on Thursday, taking the strength of the Delhi High Court to 43 against the sanctioned strength of 60. Justices Vinod Kumar, Shail Jain and Madhu Jain took the oath in Hindi, administered by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya. The swearing-in ceremony was held within the high court premises. Ex-Punjab Police officer sentenced to 10 years for fake encounter A CBI court in Mohali has sentenced a former Punjab Police officer to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in a 1993 fake encounter case involving two police constables. The court acquitted three other accused—then inspector Dharam Singh, 77, then assistant sub-inspector Kashmir Singh, 69, and then ASI Darbara Singh,71—in the case. UP govt suspends two officials for lax supervision Following a protest by women constable recruits over alleged poor living conditions in their barracks and privacy concerns, two senior officials, including the Commandant of the 26th Battalion of Provincial Armed Constabulary, have been suspended by the Uttar Pradesh government. Saksham Thakur is an intern with ThePrint (Edited by Shashank Kishan) Also read: ED raids Anil Ambani group companies in Yes Bank loan diversion case, 35 premises searched
