'No solution on battlefield': PM calls for dialogue, diplomacy at SCO Summit amid Iran, Ukraine wars

Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan to make a strong call against terrorism, saying there should be no “double standards” in dealing with the threat. His remarks came in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Modi also said wars and conflicts cannot be resolved on the battlefield and called for dialogue and diplomacy.

Modi calls for united action against terrorism

Addressing the SCO gathering, Modi said countries must work together to dismantle terrorism and its wider support network.

"We must speak with one voice that there can be no place for double standards on terrorism," he said in the same hall where Shehbaz Sharif was present. "We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism, its financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens."

His remarks came against the backdrop of India's long-standing concerns over Pakistan's alleged support for terror groups targeting India.

The issue has remained particularly significant since the killings of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam by Pakistan-linked terrorists last year. India responded with Operation Sindoor, during which Indian cruise missiles and drones targeted infrastructure in Pakistan that India said was being used for terrorist training, as well as Pakistani military assets.

'No solution on battlefield', says PM Modi

Modi also stressed the need to resolve conflicts through peaceful means.

There is no solution on the battlefield and all wars and conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, he said.

The SCO summit is being held amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has affected global energy supply lines and economies.

Modi also said cooperation on infrastructure projects should be encouraged, provided such projects respect the sovereignty of other countries.

CPEC, PoK issue adds significance

According to analysts, the presence of both Xi and Sharif at the SCO provided India with a significant platform to put across its position, particularly on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

CPEC is a planned 3,000-km network of infrastructure projects connecting China's Xinjiang region with Pakistan's Gwadar Port. India has objected to the corridor because parts of it pass through Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The SCO was founded in 2001 and now has 10 members, including India, Pakistan, China, Russia and Iran. The summit is also being held in an expanded 'SCO-Plus' format, with leaders from several other countries attending.