Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the plenary session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on Monday, following opening remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the plenary session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit on Monday, following opening remarks by Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the address, PM Modiย delivered a strong message against terrorism, with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the room, calling it the โgravest threatโ facing humanity and urging member nations to adopt a policy of zero tolerance. โTerrorism and extremism are a joint challenge for humanity. No country or society can consider itself safe as long as these threats persist,โ PM Modi said.
Without naming specific countries, the Prime Minister took aim at those that openly support or shelter terrorist networks, warning that the global community must reject such double standards in the fight against terrorism.
Pahalgam terror attackย
PM Modiโs remarks came in a sharp reference to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. โWe saw a very bad face of terrorism in Pahalgam,” said PM Modi andย questioned the global silence on state-backed terrorism. โCan open support for terrorism by some countries ever be acceptable to us?.”
โWe must make it clear that double standards in dealing with terrorism are not acceptable,โ he added.ย
โTerrorism and extremism are a joint challenge for humanity. Any country, any society cannot feel safe while these threats exist,” PM Modi said, adding that “There can be no compromise on terrorism. We must condemn it in all forms. Zero tolerance against cross-border terrorism is our duty towards humanity.”
The leadersโ meeting, attended by heads of state and government from across Eurasia, began with emphasis on regional stability, economic cooperation, and multilateral diplomacy. Chinese President Xi Jinping set the tone for the summit, speaking on the SCO’s growing importance in safeguarding regional peace and promoting balanced development in a rapidly changing global landscape.
‘India moving ahead following the mantra of…’
PM Modi invites global powers to be part of India’s development journey. “Today, India is moving ahead following the mantra of Reform, Perform and Transform… We have tried to turn every challenge into an opportunity… I invite all of you to be a part of India’s development journey,” he said.ย
โSCO must oppose hegemony, uphold justiceโ: Xiย
In his opening address, President Xi praised the SCOโs role as a stabilising force in the region. He reaffirmed Chinaโs commitment to strengthening cooperation with all member states and called for a united stand in defending global justice.
Xi emphasized the need to protect the role of the United Nations, resist unilateralism, and uphold the multilateral trading system, which he described as essential for global economic stability.
He also announced that China would implement 100 small-scale development projects across SCO member countries, aimed at improving livelihoods and reducing inequality in regions most in need.