External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stressed on the need for the recognition of “territorial integrity and sovereignty” of every country at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Pakistan’s Islamabad while reminding all partners that there should be no compromise on the grouping’s primary goal of combating the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
Jaishankar said on Wednesday, “Cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality, recognize territorial integrity and sovereignty and be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. SCO cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit.”
Jaishankar is on his first visit to Pakistan, which is the hostile neighbour of India.
Sushma Swaraj was the last External Affairs Minister of India to tour to Pakistan and the visit dates way back to 2015. In his statement at the SCO Council of Heads of government meeting, Jaishankar emphasised the need to combat “terrorism, separatism and extremism”.
The External Affairs Minister said, “SCO’s primary goal of combating terrorism, separatism and extremism is even more crucial in current times. It requires honest conversation, trust, good neighborliness and reaffirming commitment to SCO Charter. SCO needs to be firm and uncompromising in countering the ‘three evils’.”
He added, “Globalization and rebalancing are current day realities. There’s a need for SCO countries to take this forward.”
He said: “While we each make our contribution, the world order is more than the sum of its parts. As it changes, global institutions do need to keep pace. That is why the case for ‘reformed multilateralism’ gets stronger by the day. Comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council, both in the permanent and non-permanent categories, is essential.”
“I remind you that we recognized in July 2024 at Astana that the credibility and effectiveness of the UN is dependent on ensuring the representation of developing countries through comprehensive reform. Similarly, in the ‘Pact for the Future’ which was adopted at the recent UN General Assembly, our leaders have agreed to reform the Security Council, to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable. The SCO must be in the lead of advocating such change, not hold back on a matter of such importance,” he said.
He said industrial cooperation can enhance competitiveness and expand labour markets. “MSME collaboration, collaborative connectivity, environmental protection and climate action are possible avenues. Whether it is health, food or energy security, we are clearly better off working together,” Jaishankar said.
“Indian initiatives and endeavors like DPI, women-led development, ISA, CDRI, Mission LiFE, GBA, Yoga, Millets, International Big Cat Alliance etc. hold strong relevance for the SCO,” he said.
“SCO should lead by advocating that global institutions need to keep pace through reformed multilateralism to make UNSC more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable,” he added.
He reminded that to “renew our resolve to attain the objectives of the SCO, it is essential that we keep in mind mutuality of interests and abide by the do’s and don’ts of the Charter.”
“SCO represents the forces of change on whom much of the world puts great store. Let us live up to that responsibility,” he said.
Jaishankar began his two-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday. He was welcomed by Ilyas Mehmood Nizami, Director General (South Asia) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan.
The SCO Council of Heads of Government is chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
