‘Terrorism cannot be justified in any way’:Def Minister Rajnath Singh urges SCO members to unite against supporters of terrorism

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a strong message against terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on Tuesday at Tajikistan’s Dushanbe. In his statement, Singh said that, “Terrorism cannot be justified in any way. And there must be no double standards in dealing with terrorism. There should be no place for those who fund, support or provide shelter to terrorists.” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting. Rajnath said terrorism claims the lives of innocent people. It affects investment and business and fuels radicalisation in society. He appealed to member countries to take action against terrorism without any discrimination. Rajnath did not directly accuse Pakistan or Ishaq Dar by name in his speech. Without naming China, he also targeted it, saying that the sovereignty of any country must not be compromised in the name of connectivity. Rajnath says: Projects must be planned while respecting sovereignty Rajnath Singh said projects connecting countries should be planned while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. He said it was also necessary to consult all the countries concerned. He added that projects that do not follow these principles cannot be sustainable in the long term. India supports projects that connect countries’ markets, boost trade and open up new avenues for development. However, no country’s sovereignty or territorial integrity should be violated in their name. Rajnath Singh did not name China, but his remarks on sovereignty and connectivity reflect India’s longstanding position on the issue. The most important matter behind this is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. India opposes the BRI project China launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013. Its aim is to connect China with markets in Asia, Europe and other regions through roads, railways, ports and other infrastructure. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is one of the major projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It connects China’s Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Gwadar port. Part of it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India considers the areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh under Pakistan’s occupation to be part of its territory. India says that Chinese projects in these areas raise questions related to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Four other key points from Rajnath Singh’s statement… – On Chabahar port: Rajnath referred to Iran’s Chabahar port and the International North-South Transport Corridor. He said these could help connect Central Asia with major markets and boost trade. – On the role of the SCO: Rajnath said that simply creating new institutions within the organisation would not increase its achievements. New arrangements should meet the needs of member countries, avoid duplicating work already under way and deliver direct benefits to people. – On the global economy’s challenges: Geopolitical tensions, disruptions to trade, concerns over energy and food security, and the widening technological divide are major challenges facing the global economy. Rajnath stressed the need to strengthen supply chains and make trade and investment easier to address them. – On facilitating trade: Rajnath said that building roads, railways and ports alone was not enough to connect countries. Customs procedures would have to be simplified, the use of digital documents increased and systems related to the movement of goods improved to reduce the cost of doing business.