Certain countries are using terrorism as an instrument of state policy: India

India has called for shunning double standards in the fight against terrorism and said certain countries are using terrorism as an instrument of state policy, in a veiled jibe at Pakistan.

“When we talk about international peace and security, you will agree that terrorism constitutes one of the most serious threats,” R Ravindra, Charge d’Affaires and Deputy Permanent Representative in India’s Permanent Mission to the UN said.

“We must, therefore, shun double standards in our fight against terrorism,” he said.

Ravindra was speaking in the UN Security Council Friday on ‘Cooperation between the UN and the Regional and Sub-Regional Organisations in Maintenance of International Peace and Security: The Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

In a veiled reference to Pakistan, he said that certain countries are using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. “Such an approach has the potential to affect cooperation in multilateral platforms including at the SCO,” he said.

Pakistan is a member of the Beijing-based Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Ravindra underlined that the international community must reaffirm its resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and “we must crackdown on all forms of support to terrorism, including its financing.” He emphasised the need for full implementation of the UNSC resolution and targeted sanctions on terrorist individuals and entities to counter terrorism effectively.

On this, he noted that leaders of SCO agreed in the Astana Declaration adopted earlier this month that the international community must isolate and expose those countries that harbour terrorists, provide them with safe haven and condone terrorism.

Similarly, “We should also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalisation among our youth,” he said.

The Joint Statement on the subject of radicalisation issued during India’s SCO chairship in 2023 symbolises Delhi’s shared commitment to the fight against radicalisation, he said.

He stressed that India accords high priority to the consolidation of trust in the security domain within SCO as well as strengthening ties with SCO partners based on “equality, respect and mutual understanding.” Noting that India attaches great importance to SCO for peace, security, stability and economic development in the region, Ravindra said this was evident from India’s successful presidency of SCO in 2022-23.

He said that in the backdrop of increasing regional conflicts with new and complex security challenges, the SCO-Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is playing a significant role in strengthening cooperation among the member states.

“We need to further strengthen the role of SCO-RATS in the fight against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism”.

India has also consistently advocated respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity for connectivity and infrastructure projects. Recognising the centrality of Central Asia to SCO, India has prioritised the interests and aspirations of Central Asia.

In the spirit of India’s cooperation and support to the Central Asian region, India has offered a one billion dollar Line of Credit for priority developmental projects. India is also providing grant assistance for the implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for furthering socio-economic development in the countries of the region.

“We have created the India-Central Asia Dialogue platform for strengthening cooperation between India and the Central Asian countries. The signing of the contract to develop Chabahar Port in Iran recently is a testament to our commitment towards realising the potential of the place as a connectivity hub for Afghanistan and Central Asia,” he said.

Ravindra further noted that the developments in Afghanistan will have wider ramifications for the Central Asia region, particularly the possible growth of international terrorism and drug trafficking emanating from the Afghan territory.

Emphasising the importance of facing such diverse challenges, Ravindra underlined the need for coordinated and concerted actions across borders. “We believe that enhanced cooperation between the United Nations and Regional and subregional organisations will be a determinant factor in successful resolution of conflicts,” he said.

Given that the current world order, inherited following the Second World War, has seen a complete transformation, he said the threats that member states faced when the United Nations was founded 79 years ago have also changed.

“The contemporary security challenges that we, as member states face now, are not limited to territorial or political disputes, but transcend physical or political boundaries. In today’s globalised world, terrorism, drug trafficking, transnational crime, climate change, the security implications of new technologies and pandemics are transnational in nature,” he said.