‘Nations who aid terror will pay a price': How India's SCO diplomacy sends a message beyond Beijing

Economic Times

a day ago

Synopsis
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in Tianjin, India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar called for an unflinching fight against terrorism, highlighting the Pahalgam attack as proof of old threats taking new forms. He warned SCO nations against complacency, reminded them of their founding mission, and urged practical cooperation rooted in respect and sovereignty. Amid diplomatic back-and-forth with China and criticism at home, Jaishankar argued that real stability demands courage, clarity and collective resolve.
IANS New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will embark on a three-day visit to China starting Sunday to attend the Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states being held in Tianjin. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar didn't mince words in Tianjin. Facing his counterparts from China, Pakistan and other SCO members, he reminded them why the organisation exists. 'The three evils that SCO was founded to combat were terrorism, separatism and extremism. Not surprisingly, they often occur together,' he said. The recent terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April was his example — a deliberate strike aimed at tearing apart Kashmir's tourism lifeline and stoking a religious fault line.
The UN Security Council echoed India's anger, condemning the attack and urging that 'perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism' must be held accountable. Jaishankar's message to the SCO was clear: stick to your founding principles or risk irrelevance.
Jaishankar stressed that India has already acted and will keep acting. The country's response — Operation Sindoor — crossed into Pakistani territory and hit terror bases in PoK, targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen camps. It was a stark signal to the region: India won't sit idle while terror factories flourish next door.His warning wasn't limited to bombs and bullets. Jaishankar pointed to a world drifting into chaos — more conflicts, more coercion, more economic uncertainty. 'In the last few years, we have seen more conflicts, competition and coercion. Economic instability is also visibly on the rise,' he said. His prescription? Countries must stabilise the global order and 'de-risk various dimensions' together.Of course, not everything he said landed smoothly. Back home, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi mocked him for meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping. 'I guess the Chinese foreign minister will come and apprise Modi about recent developments in China-India ties. The EAM is now running a full blown circus aimed at destroying India's foreign policy,' Rahul fired on X.
For Jaishankar, though, the optics mattered less than the substance. 'Called on President Xi Jinping this morning in Beijing along with my fellow SCO Foreign Ministers. Conveyed the greetings of President Droupadi Murmu & Prime Minister @narendramodi. Apprised President Xi of the recent development of our bilateral ties,' he wrote.He also held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Their discussion touched on the border standoff, people-to-people ties, trade blockades — all the friction points that can't be brushed under the carpet. 'Held detailed talks… Spoke about the need for a far-seeing approach… Confident that on the foundation of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, ties can develop along a positive trajectory,' Jaishankar posted.Beyond the drama, Jaishankar laid out India's approach to keep the SCO meaningful. First, respect each other's borders and sovereignty. 'It is essential that such cooperation is based on mutual respect, sovereign equality and in accordance with territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states,' he said.Second, deepen ties in concrete ways. India's recent push ranges from startup innovation to traditional medicine and digital public infrastructure. These are practical bridges that can outlast politics.Jaishankar knows talk of cooperation rings hollow without real connections. The lack of assured transit within the SCO region, he argued, stifles trade. He pressed members to get behind the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200 km freight corridor linking India with Iran, Afghanistan, Russia and Europe. If it gains steam, it can change how the region trades with itself and the world.The final piece of Jaishankar's message focused on Afghanistan. For years, the country has been a permanent item on SCO agendas. 'The compulsions of regional stability are buttressed by our longstanding concern for the well-being of the Afghan people,' he said. He urged other members to step up development assistance. India, he promised, will do its bit.On the sidelines, Jaishankar met Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — 'Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Minister of External Affairs of India @DrSJaishankar hold a meeting on the sidelines of the #SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting,' Russia's Foreign Ministry posted. He caught up with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi too: 'Good to catch up with FM @araghchi of Iran, this time on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin,' Jaishankar wrote.At its core, Jaishankar's message to the SCO was blunt: you can't cherry-pick what threats to ignore. Old problems — terrorism, separatism, extremism — won't fade if you keep turning a blind eye for convenience. The choice for the SCO is simple: stand firm, act together, or watch your relevance drain away one crisis at a time.