India Tells SCO There Can Be No Double Standards On Terrorism
India called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Tuesday to dismantle what it described as the entire ecosystem of terrorism, and said connectivity projects across the region would not last unless they respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the countries they passed through
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| Image Source: PIB India |
“There can be no justification for terrorism, no double standards in addressing it, and no place for those who finance, support, or provide safe havens to terrorists,” he said, according to a press statement from India’s defence ministry.
On connectivity, he said India backed initiatives that linked markets and opened new routes for trade, naming the International North-South Transport Corridor and Iran’s Chabahar Port as projects capable of connecting Central Asia to wider markets. Projects not founded on consultation and respect for sovereignty, he added, would not prove sustainable.
Terrorism, peace เคเคฐ development เคे เคฒिเค เคंเคญीเคฐ เคเคคเคฐा เคนै। เคฏเคน เคจिเคฐ्เคฆोเคท เคฒोเคों เคी เคाเคจ เคฒेเคจे เคे เคธाเคฅ-เคธाเคฅ investment, commerce เคเคฐ เคฏुเคตाเคं เคे เคญเคตिเคท्เคฏ เคो เคญी เคช्เคฐเคญाเคตिเคค เคเคฐเคคा เคนै। Terrorism เคे เคिเคฒाเคซ เคจ เคोเค เคฆोเคนเคฐा เคฎाเคชเคฆंเคก เคนो เคธเคเคคा เคนै, เคจ เคोเค justification। เคเคธเคे เคชूเคฐे ecosystem เคो เคธाเคฎूเคนिเค เคฐूเคช เคธे เคธเคฎाเคช्เคค เคเคฐเคจा เคนोเคा।
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 20, 2026
He also urged institutional restraint. “A greater number of institutions does not necessarily translate into greater achievements,” he said, arguing that new mechanisms should address identified needs, avoid duplication and deliver practical value. India welcomed decisions taken at the organisation’s Bishkek summit in August and September to make a centre in Tashkent and an anti-narcotics centre in Dushanbe permanent bodies, while cautioning that their usefulness would depend on coordination and execution.
On the economy, Singh pointed to geopolitical tension, disrupted trade and supply chains, energy and food security, and widening technological gaps, and called for more resilient supply chains and easier trade and investment. India supported the adoption of an action plan for the grouping’s multilateral trade and economic cooperation programme covering 2026 to 2030.
He cited India’s digital public infrastructure, its start-up sector and its emphasis on women-led development as evidence of what technology could deliver, and referred to Indian-backed international initiatives on solar energy, disaster-resilient infrastructure, sustainable consumption and biofuels. India has invited member states to a first civilisational dialogue forum it will host later this year.
Speaking at the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) Meeting in Dushanbe (Tajikistan). https://t.co/QbNQgvMByq
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 20, 2026
Delegation heads adopted a joint communique covering the organisation’s 2027 budget, administrative decisions and the trade action plan. The council reviewed cooperation on transport, finance, the digital economy and social development.
The SCO, which marks twenty-five years this year, has become one of the principal forums in which India and China sit alongside Russia and the Central Asian states. India has been a full member since 2017.