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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India's strong stance against terrorism while addressing the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) ministerial meeting in Manila on Thursday. He stressed that there should be "zero tolerance" towards terrorism and that terrorist activities must face consequences.

Sharing details of his address on X, Jaishankar highlighted 12 key areas. He started by highlighting the importance of this platform to deal with the political and security challenges in the Indo-Pacific amidst the rapidly changing global environment.

'Zero tolerance' on terrorism

Jaishankar stressed the need to prioritize efforts to cut off financial resources supporting terrorism. He said India is co-chairing the Expert Working Group (EWG) with Malaysia under the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) framework and is taking the lead in preparing a compendium of best practices.

The External Affairs Minister said, "There should be zero tolerance for terrorism. There should also be no doubt that terrorist acts will have consequences." He further said, "We must prioritize eliminating the financial resources that fuel it. India is co-chairing the EWG with Malaysia in the ADMM+, which is playing a leading role in developing a compendium of best practices."

Indo-Pacific and ASEAN

During his address, Jaishankar highlighted the importance of the ARF as a platform to discuss political and security issues in the Indo-Pacific, especially in the current complex global environment. He welcomed the Manila Plan of Action and said its five pillars are in line with India's own approach towards the Indo-Pacific.

Disaster management and humanitarian assistance

On disaster management and humanitarian assistance, Jaishankar said India supports a collaborative approach including sharing best practices, developing common standard operating procedures (SOPs) and conducting real-time and table-top exercises. He highlighted India's contribution through initiatives such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure as well as the deployment of field hospitals, search and rescue teams and relief materials.

Jaishankar said India has recently made rehabilitation efforts after disasters including cyclones in Sri Lanka, Philippines and Jamaica and earthquakes in Myanmar, Venezuela and Afghanistan.

India's contribution to maritime security

On maritime security, the External Affairs Minister underlined India's contribution through the Information Fusion Center in India, the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative and the deployment of Indian forces from the North Arabian Sea to the Western Pacific. He said these efforts are contributing to combating piracy, smuggling and narcotics trade, while helping to secure maritime commerce.

Nuclear non-proliferation and emerging challenges

Jaishankar also stressed the importance of ensuring that the international community remains vigilant against elements that undermine non-proliferation and disarmament efforts. Highlighting emerging challenges, they advocated a responsible and human-centric approach towards Artificial Intelligence and called for deeper cooperation on cyber crime and related issues.

On maritime trade and security, Jaishankar said attacks on commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and commerce through international waterways must remain safe and unhindered.

India's stance on South China Sea

On the South China Sea, he said India expects a "concrete, effective and legally binding" Code of Conduct (CoC) that fully adheres to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 and does not adversely affect the legitimate rights of all users.

Jaishankar is on a two-day visit to Manila, during which he participated in a series of foreign minister-level meetings, including the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers' Meeting, East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers' Meeting and ARF meetings. He also participated in the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where the four parties India, the United States, Japan and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to support a free and open Indo-Pacific and the centrality of ASEAN. (ANI)