S Jaishankar Firm On India's Stance On Terrorism At SCO Council Meet, With Pakistan Foreign Minister Present

India's External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers on Friday (5 May) in Goa, where he emphasised that terrorism, particularly cross-border terrorism, cannot be justified.

He made it clear that India firmly believes that terrorism must be stopped in all its forms, and that ignoring the threat of terrorism would be detrimental to national security interests.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, China's Qin Gang, and Russia's Sergey Lavrov were present during Jaishankar's address, where he stressed that all channels of financing terrorist activities must be seized and blocked regardless of where the funding is coming from.

Jaishankar reiterated that combating terrorism has always been a primary concern for the SCO, and the organisation should continue in its efforts to fight it.

During the meeting, Jaishankar also addressed the issue in Afghanistan, emphasising that the unfolding situation in the country remains at the centre of India's attention, and efforts should be made to direct attention towards the welfare of the Afghan people.

The priority in Afghanistan for India includes providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring the creation of an inclusive government, combating terrorism, and preserving the rights of women, children, and minorities.

Jaishankar said India attaches great importance to the development of multifaceted cooperation in SCO and promotion of peace and stability.