SCO must unite, work together to dismantle terrorism ecosystem: PM Modi

Addressing the SCO summit, PM Modi called for a united fight against terrorism and its financing and said conflicts must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) must work unitedly to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism as well as its financing, and there can't be any room for double standards in combating the menace, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday.

In his address at the annual SCO summit in this Kyrgyz capital city, the prime minister also said that all wars and conflicts in the world must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy as no solution can be found on battlefields.

Modi also stressed that connectivity projects must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, remarks seen as an oblique reference to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

 

The prime minister's comments on the need for dealing with terrorism assumed significance as they came amid New Delhi's relentless efforts to corner Pakistan on cross-border terrorist activities.

We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism as well as its financing, he said.

We must speak in one voice that there can be no place for double standards in dealing with terrorism, Modi added.

The prime minister also said that there can be no solution to wars and conflicts on battle field and they must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also said that India supports all efforts that connect markets, facilitate trade, and open new pathways for development.

At the same time, Modi added that efforts towards connectivity must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.

For India, SCO is a confluence of great civilisation, culture and ideas, he said. Three main pillars of India's vision for SCO are security, connectivity and opportunity, Modi noted.