Astana, Kazakhstan

At the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivered a powerful speech on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, taking a veiled swipe at China and Pakistan while calling for united action against terrorism and climate change.

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Earlier, reports mentioned that PM Modi opted to skip the event due to his planned visits to Russia and Austria, which is now confirmed to take place from July 8 to July 10. 

In his remarks, Jaishankar highlighted India's concerns over the need for decisive action against terrorism, a clear reference to Pakistan's reluctance to crack down on terrorist groups operating from their soil.

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Jaishankar, who led the Indian delegation at the 24th SCO Summit, said, “Many of us have had our experiences, often originating beyond our borders. Let us be clear that if left unchecked, it can become a major threat to regional and global peace." 

Dig at China 

Jaishankar also spoke about the importance of "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity" for connectivity and infrastructure projects, as well as "non-discriminatory trade rights and transit regimes".

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This statement was a clear reference to India's concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). 

Climate change 

The Indian minister also stressed the importance of mitigating the effects of climate change, which he described as "another prominent concern before us today".

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Jaishankar said, "We are working towards achieving a committed reduction in emissions, including transition to alternate fuels, adoption of electric vehicles, and building climate-resilient infrastructure. In this context, during India’s SCO presidency, a Joint Statement on emerging fuels, and a Concept Paper on de-carbonisation in the transportation sector were approved."

(With inputs from agencies)