In what should be seen as a positive outcome of the Delhi Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held recently, all the member countries of the grouping signed up to cooperate in countering radicalization leading to “terrorism, separatism and extremism”. It goes without saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi succeeded in keeping the focus of the summit on the issue of terrorism and the threat to regional security emanating from the soil of Afghanistan and adjoining region due to Taliban’s inability to rein in terror activities there.
The member states of the SCO agreed to cooperate with one another in dealing with the security challenges in the region as raised by the Indian prime minister. All the members endorsed PM Modi’s views about the situation in Afghanistan and about how to address the humanitarian issues in the trouble-torn nation. However, what was missing was SCO’s much-needed endorsement for action against Pakistan-based terror groups that continue to pose a major threat not only to India but to the countries in the region. Every country in the neighbourhood and in the region is bearing the brunt of Pakistan’s failure to rein in these terror outfits, a fact known to the entire international community and to all the members of the SCO. All the member countries of the grouping should, therefore, have unequivocally called out Pakistan’s terror factory and the terror organisations active on the territories under Islamabad’s control. Chairing the virtual summit, PM Modi in his address had aptly set the tone and tenor at the summit for the other members to condemn cross-border terrorism. SCO members could have done a great service to humanity by condemning cross-border terrorism and use of terrorist proxies even without naming Pakistan. They should also have asked Pakistan to take tough action against terror elements operating from territory under its control. PM Modi had raised this issue quite logically and in a very convincing manner. The remarks that PM Modi made at the SCO summit need to be recalled here. “Dealing with this challenge requires decisive action. Regardless of its form or manifestation, we must unite in our fight against terrorism. Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies, provide shelter to terrorists. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations. There should be no place for double standards on such serious matters. We need to enhance mutual cooperation in dealing with terror financing as well….” Modi’s message was directed at China, as much as Pakistan, for Beijing’s repeated blocking of proposals in the UN Security Council to designate senior members of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. China has continued to shield Pakistan based terrorists at international fora such as the UN. Modi also used the occasion provided by the virtual summit of the SCO to make it plain that India was opposed to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. India’s position is that connectivity projects that violate sovereignty and territorial integrity of a member state cannot be an asset for the region. Undoubtedly, India succeeded in giving out a message on China’s double-standard on the issue of terrorism and territorial integrity.
While condemning terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the SCO countries asserted in the joint statement that it should not be associated with any religion, civilisation, nationality or ethnic group irrespective of who commits it and with whatever agenda. It is clear that some members of China-dominated grouping stopped short of condemning cross-border terrorism and the terrorist outfits operating from the soil of Pakistan. But the message conveyed by PM Modi for both Pakistan and China was well received during the summit. Now, India must continue to make efforts to ensure that SCO member states in future parleys and conclaves unequivocally call out Pakistan’s terror factory and condemn the terrorists enjoying safe haven on its soil. India needs to continue to give momentum that has been set by PM Modi against cross border terrorism and against the countries (Pakistan) promoting terrorism. At the same time, the member states should also keep serving strong signals to the nations which do not respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of other countries of the grouping. In this context, China’s aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India must also be called out by the SCO member countries.