Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a pointed address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, using the rare occasion of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s presence in the same forum to condemn what he characterised as “double standards” in the global response to terrorism, according to Indian government accounts of his remarks.
Speaking at the multilateral gathering of Eurasian powers, Modi called on member states to address the broader “terror ecosystem” rather than responding only to individual attacks, and pushed for diplomatic solutions to conflicts in West Asia and other regional hotspots. The remarks underscored the persistent diplomatic friction between India and Pakistan despite their shared membership in the China- and Russia-backed bloc, and signalled New Delhi’s continued effort to isolate Islamabad on terrorism allegations while maintaining its seat at the SCO table.
What Happened
Modi addressed the SCO summit with Sharif in attendance, a setting that provided a rare public glimpse of the two nuclear-armed neighbours occupying the same diplomatic space. According to Indian government summaries of his remarks, Modi told delegates that terrorism remains a “serious challenge to humanity” and called on SCO members to adopt a comprehensive approach to counterterrorism.
“Terrorism remains a serious challenge to humanity,” Modi said, according to the Indian readout. He framed his comments within a broader appeal for dialogue-based diplomacy, urging member states to pursue peaceful resolution of international disputes and to coordinate against terror financing and cross-border militant networks.
The Indian prime minister specifically pushed for action against what he termed the wider “terror ecosystem,” including its financial and ideological infrastructure, a formulation that Indian officials have employed in recent years to broaden international attention beyond individual militant groups to the structures that sustain them.
The address was delivered as part of India’s wider foreign policy messaging at multilateral forums, where New Delhi has sought to position itself as a proponent of dialogue and collective action while simultaneously pressing its long-standing allegations against Pakistan.
No bilateral meeting between Modi and Sharif was reported in the Indian government’s summary of the summit proceedings.
Why It Matters
The address carries significance on multiple diplomatic fronts. For India, the opportunity to voice terrorism allegations directly to an audience that included the Pakistani prime minister represents a continuation of New Delhi’s strategy of multilateral pressure. The SCO, despite being dominated by China and Russia, offers India a forum where it can raise these concerns alongside powers that do not necessarily align with Western-led sanctions regimes or diplomatic frameworks.
Modi’s choice to emphasise “double standards” reflects India’s longstanding complaint that some international actors apply different criteria when condemning terrorism depending on the perpetrators or victims involved. Indian officials have long argued that this inconsistency allows certain states to avoid accountability, a position that New Delhi has pressed in various international settings.
The presence of Sharif, who assumed office following Imran Khan’s removal as prime minister, provided a specific audience for these remarks. Pakistani officials have denied previous Indian allegations regarding militant havens on Pakistani soil, and Islamabad has consistently maintained that it combats terrorism on its own territory. The Indian readout did not include any Pakistani response to Modi’s comments.
Analysis
Modi’s decision to frame his remarks around “double standards” rather than direct accusations against Pakistan reflects a calibrated diplomatic approach. By appealing to a broader concern about inconsistent global responses to terrorism, India positions itself as raising a principle rather than simply levelling a bilateral complaint. This framing allows New Delhi to appeal to other SCO members who may share concerns about terrorism but maintain their own diplomatic relationships with Pakistan.
The strategy also signals to Western capitals that India expects consistent condemnation of state-sponsored or tolerated militant activity regardless of geographic context. India has occasionally found itself at odds with some Western partners over whether certain groups designated as terrorist organisations by New Delhi receive equivalent treatment elsewhere, a tension that the “double standards” framing directly addresses.
For Pakistan, Sharif’s attendance at the summit represents both an opportunity and a constraint. The presence allows Pakistani officials to hear Indian allegations directly and to offer rebuttals within the same forum, but it also limits the diplomatic dynamics of the gathering. Islamabad cannot easily avoid the setting without appearing to disengage from a multilateral body it has invested in joining, yet participation exposes Pakistani leadership to precisely the kind of messaging India intends to deliver.
The absence of a reported bilateral meeting between Modi and Sharif is notable but not unusual. Direct talks between Indian and Pakistani prime ministers remain infrequent, and the diplomatic conditions for such engagement have not been met despite periodic efforts to restart formal dialogue processes.
Background and Context
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation traces its origins to a 1996 security arrangement among China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, expanding over the following decades to include India and Pakistan as full members in 2017. The bloc has progressively broadened its agenda from security concerns along Central Asian borders to encompass economic cooperation, regional infrastructure, and political consultation on international issues.
India’s membership in the SCO reflects New Delhi’s effort to maintain engagement with Eurasian powers while pursuing relationships with Western partners. The organisation’s membership includes China, with whom India has ongoing border disputes, and Russia, which has deepened its strategic partnership with China in recent years. This positions India within a forum where its interests do not always align with the dominant members.
India-Pakistan relations remain defined by a series of unresolved disputes, including the status of Kashmir, which both countries administer in part and claim in full. Cross-border violence and insurgent activity have periodically escalated tensions, most notably following attacks attributed to militant groups based in Pakistan that New Delhi has blamed on Pakistani intelligence support. Islamabad denies direct involvement in such attacks.
The SCO has previously addressed regional security concerns, though the organisation’s effectiveness in producing coordinated counterterrorism outcomes has been limited by divergent member interests. China, for instance, has at times used the forum to address its own concerns about militant activity, particularly regarding Uyghur groups it designates as terrorist organisations, while maintaining its own diplomatic calculations regarding Pakistan.
India’s counterterrorism diplomacy has intensified in recent years as New Delhi has sought to build international consensus around designations, sanctions, and financial measures targeting militant groups. The Modi government has prioritised this agenda at the United Nations, in bilateral engagements, and at regional forums including the SCO.
What to Watch Next
Several developments merit monitoring in the period following the summit. The Pakistani government’s response to Modi’s remarks, if articulated through official channels, will indicate whether Islamabad intends to engage with the substance of India’s allegations or to redirect attention toward its own counterterrorism credentials.
The trajectory of India-Pakistan bilateral engagement remains uncertain. Previous attempts to restart formal dialogue have stalled, and the conditions that might produce renewed negotiations—including movement on terrorism concerns from India’s perspective and progress on Kashmir from Pakistan’s—have not materialised. The SCO setting offers occasional opportunities for informal contact, though no such engagement was reported from the current summit.
The broader dynamics within the SCO will also shape the context for future discussions. China’s relationships with both India and Pakistan, and its own security interests, influence the organisation’s capacity to address regional tensions. Russia’s attention, currently absorbed in its relationship with Western powers and its own regional conflicts, affects the bloc’s prioritisation of South Asian issues.
International reactions to Modi’s remarks, particularly from countries outside the SCO, will provide insight into how India’s “double standards” framing resonates with audiences beyond the Eurasian grouping. Western capitals have their own interests in maintaining relationships with both India and Pakistan, and their responses to New Delhi’s messaging may reveal tensions in those calculations.
Sources
Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/dialogue-not-war-modi-pushes-diplomacy-for-west-asia-targets-terror-ecosystem-101788281234946.html
Source: Hindustan Times – India News
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Story synopsis gathered from: Hindustan Times – India News — source
