External Afairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasised the need for territorial integrity and cooperation based on mutual respect, in his remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Pakistan on Wednesday.
In the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan since Sushma Swaraj’s 2015 tour, Jaishankar called terrorism, extremism and separatism “three evils”. He added that cooperation between countries is built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas.
Jaishankar mentioned the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah and Russia-Ukraine conflicts, along with the Covid pandemic, to state that the summit comes at a “difficult time in world affairs”.
“Disruptions of various kinds – ranging from extreme climate events to supply chain uncertainties and financial volatility – are impacting growth and development. Debt is a serious concern, even as the world falls behind in achieving Sustainable Development targets. Technology holds great promise, as well as raising a new host of concerns. How should the members of the SCO respond to these challenges?” he asked.