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SCO Founded To Combat ‘3 Evils’: Jaishankar Cites Pahalgam Attack In Foreign Ministers’ Meeting In China
ABP Live News | July 15, 2025 10:41 PM CST

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, while addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers in Tianjin, warned member states of the dangers posed by what he termed the “three evils” — terrorism, separatism, and extremism — and called for an uncompromising collective stance.

He cited the recent terrorist strike in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025, to illustrate the gravity of the challenge. “Recently, we in India witnessed a graphic example in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. It was deliberately conducted to undermine the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir, while sowing a religious divide,” Jaishankar posted on X.

He noted that the United Nations Security Council had condemned the attack and emphasised accountability for all those behind it. “The UN Security Council, of which some of us are currently members, issued a statement that condemned it in the strongest terms and ‘underlined the need to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice’. We have since done exactly that and will continue doing so,” he added.

Without naming Pakistan, Jaishankar urged SCO member nations to remain true to the bloc’s founding principles by taking a "uncompromising position" against these threats.

EAM Jaishankar Calls for Rules-Based Cooperation and Respect for Sovereignty

Highlighting the current global environment marked by increasing conflicts and instability, Jaishankar stressed the need for joint efforts to maintain international order.

“In the last few years, we have seen more conflicts, competition and coercion. Economic instability is also visibly on the rise. The challenge before us is to stabilise the global order, de-risk various dimensions and through it all, adess longstanding challenges that threaten our collective interests,” he remarked on X.

India, he said, would continue to contribute constructively within the SCO through initiatives in innovation, traditional medicine, and digital public infrastructure. “We will continue to positively approach new ideas and proposals that are genuinely for our collective good. It is essential that such cooperation is based on mutual respect, sovereign equality and in accordance with territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states,” Jaishankar said.

EAM Jaishankar Highlights Need to Resolve Transit Issues, Assist Afghanistan

Jaishankar also underlined the need to improve regional connectivity and ensure secure transit routes within the SCO region. “Deepening collaboration within the SCO naturally requires more trade, investment and exchanges… One of them is the lack of assured transit within the SCO space. Its absence undermines the seriousness of advocating cooperation in economic areas,” he said.

He reaffirmed India’s commitment to the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and expressed confidence in its continued progress.

Turning to Afghanistan, the minister emphasised the importance of regional stability and humanitarian assistance. “The international community, particularly SCO members, must therefore step up with development assistance. India, for its part, will certainly do so,” he stated.

EAM Jaishankar Holds Bilateral Meetings with Russian, Iranian Counterparts

On the sidelines of the SCO meet, Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Russia’s Foreign Ministry posted on X, “Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of External Affairs of India @SJaishankar hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting.”

He also met Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi. Sharing the interaction on X, Jaishankar wrote, “Good to catch up with FM @araghchi of Iran, this time on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin.”

Jaishankar arrived in Beijing from Singapore to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. This marks his first visit to China since the Galwan Valley clash of 2020, which had severely strained diplomatic ties.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar and other foreign ministers met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. His visit follows recent SCO-related visits to China by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in June.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit India next month for the Special Representatives dialogue with NSA Doval, aimed at adessing the long-standing boundary dispute, as per news agency ANI.

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