Jaishankar for honest dialogue, cites terrorism as obstacle to trade at SCO summit

ISLAMABAD: Indian Foreign Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has said that trade was impossible in an environment plagued by cross-border terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Speaking at the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Islamabad, Jaishankar highlighted that the world is navigating through challenging times, marked by two major conflicts and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have impacted even developed nations.

He pointed to extreme weather conditions, supply chain disruptions, and financial instability as hurdles to global economic growth, with debt burdens posing a serious problem.

In his speech, Jaishankar — although the audio of his speech was not heard on television channels in Pakistan, a portion of his statement was shared on X (formerly Twitter), where he outlined India’s stance on key regional issues —  emphasized the need for open and honest dialogue, especially when trust and cooperation are lacking, and when the spirit of friendship and good neighborliness is eroding. He stressed the importance of self-reflection in such times.

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He said that the development of trade, energy cooperation, and mutual connectivity is difficult in an environment plagued by separatism and extremism.

Speaking about the rapidly changing and turbulent global landscape, Jaishankar urged the SCO to rise to the challenges it faces. He also acknowledged that globalization and the global power shift are inescapable realities, urging member states to take concrete steps to adapt.

Jaishankar underscored that cooperation among SCO members should be built on mutual respect and autonomy, particularly regarding each other’s territorial integrity.

He advocated for true partnerships, free from unilateral agendas, to ensure the organization’s success.

On trade and transit, he warned that without collective decision-making, the SCO would struggle to make meaningful progress.

The Indian foreign minister noted that industrial cooperation could enhance competition and generate employment opportunities across the region.