In a forceful address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Tianjin, China, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar called upon member states to adopt an “uncompromising position” on terrorism. Emphasizing the founding principles of the regional bloc, Jaishankar highlighted that terrorism, extremism, and separatism – the so-called “three evils” – remain persistent threats to regional stability and collective prosperity.

The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan – with India and Pakistan joining in 2017 – was originally envisioned as a platform to promote regional security, economic cooperation, and political stability. However, Jaishankar’s remarks underscore a growing concern that the organization has not sufficiently addressed terrorism in a unified or consistent manner.

Citing a recent terror attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory in April, which left 26 people dead – many of them tourists – Jaishankar framed terrorism as not only a security concern but also an economic and social threat. “It was deliberately conducted to undermine the tourism economy of Jammu and Kashmir, while sowing a religious divide,” he stated, adding that the attack was designed to destabilize the region at a critical time.

India has blamed Pakistan for harboring and supporting terrorist groups responsible for the assault, and retaliated in May with........

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