Finance
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to act in cooperation against terrorism and its financing, saying there should be no double standards in dealing with the problem. He also stated that wars and disputes around the world must be settled via discourse and diplomacy, not on battlefields.
At the SCO summit, Modi also stated that connectivity initiatives must respect all countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity, which was interpreted as an indirect allusion to China’s Belt and Road initiative. He stated that India supports efforts to connect markets, promote commerce, and open up new avenues for development, and that security, connection, and opportunity are the three pillars of India’s vision for the SCO.
n his address at the annual SCO summit in Bishkek, the Prime Minister said, ‘We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism as well as its financing.’ He added, ‘We must speak in one voice that there can be no place for double standards in dealing with terrorism.’ His remarks assumed significance amid New Delhi’s relentless efforts to corner Pakistan on cross-border terrorist activities.
Modi also said, ‘There can be no solution to wars and conflicts on battlefields and they must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.’ On connectivity, he said India supports all efforts that connect markets, facilitate trade and open new pathways for development. At the same time, he added that such efforts must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
Describing the SCO as a key platform for India, Modi said, ‘For India, SCO is a confluence of great civilisation, culture and ideas.’ He added that the three main pillars of India’s vision for the grouping are security, connectivity and opportunity, underlining his broader message of united action against terrorism, support for trade-linked connectivity and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Source: IT
