Zero tolerance for terrorism in all its manifestations 'must': India at SCO

There is an urgent need to address the global energy and food crisis caused by disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said at a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tashkent on Friday.

With Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto listening, Jaishankar also asserted that "zero tolerance" for terrorism in all its manifestations is a "must", in remarks seen as an oblique message to Islamabad.

In his address at the foreign ministerial meeting of the eight-nation bloc, Jaishankar also underlined the potential of the Chabahar port in Iran for the economic future of the grouping.

The SCO is a key economic and security bloc and has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017.

The conclave, also attended by the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, discussed the preparations for the forthcoming SCO summit in Samarkand on September 15-16.

The summit is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders of the grouping.

Talking about the current global challenges, Jaishankar said the response required includes resilient and diversified supply chains as well as reformed multilateralism.

The external affairs minister reiterated India's position on Afghanistan and highlighted its humanitarian support to the war-torn country, including the supply of wheat, medicines, vaccines and clothing.

The major highlights of the deliberations included a decision to grant permanent membership of the bloc to Iran and make Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia its dialogue partners.

The ministers also supported the applications of Bahrain and the Maldives for the status of SCO dialogue partners.

"Participated in the SCO Foreign Ministers' Meeting at Tashkent. Highlighted that world faces an energy and food crisis due to disruptions from the Covid pandemic and Ukraine conflict. This needs to be urgently addressed," Jaishankar tweeted.

"Response required includes resilient and diversified supply chains as well as reformed multilateralism. Zero tolerance for terrorism in all its manifestations is a must," he said.

He said India will give the "fullest support" for the success of the Samarkand summit.

"Reiterated India's position on Afghanistan and highlighted our humanitarian support: wheat, medicines, vaccines and clothing.

Underlined the potential of Chabahar port for SCO's economic future," Jaishankar said in another tweet.

He said the meeting was "very useful" in preparing for the Samarkand summit.

"Spoke of the economic progress in India, stressing the relevance of startups and innovation. Cooperation in traditional medicine is in the common interest of SCO members," the external affairs minister added.

Earlier, all the foreign ministers of the SCO nations called on Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Jaishankar said he conveyed Prime Minister Modi's personal greetings to the Uzbek president.

"Appreciated the momentum generated by Uzbek Presidency in fields of security, economy, trade, connectivity and culture," he said.

The external affairs minister held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and also with the secretary general of the SCO.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the meeting witnessed a dialogue on international and regional issues.

According to Uzbek news agency Dunyo, Jaishankar noted that Iran's entry into the SCO will further strengthen the organisation's influence in the world market.

It said the ministers also supported the applications of Bahrain and the Maldives for the status of SCO dialogue partners.

The SCO is also actively studying an application for full membership in the bloc by Belarus.

"There is a common understanding that the replenishment of the 'SCO family' will give a significant impetus to multifaceted interaction in the field of regional security, trade, investment and industrial cooperation," acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Vladimir Norov said.

He said it will contribute to the further development of the huge transport and transit potential in the space of the organisation.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

India has shown keen interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure, which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

India was made an observer at the SCO in 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping, which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.