National Security Adviser Ajit Doval made some key remarks at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe.
Tajikistan, the current president of the SCO, hosted the meeting of the top national security officials of the eight-nation grouping on June 23 and 24.
NSA Doval said, “Though India became SCO Member in 2017, it has physical, spiritual, cultural and philosophical inter-linkages for centuries with countries that now make up SCO.”
Some key remarks made by NSA Doval at the SCO NSA’s meet
– Need to preserve gains made in the last two decades in Afghanistan and give top priority to the welfare of its people. India fully supports the SCO Contact Group on Afghanistan, which should be more active.
– Greater connectivity including through initiatives like Chahbahar, INSTC, Regional Air Corridors, Ashgabat Agreement always leads to economic gains and building trust. However, connectivity must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity.
– Strongly condemned terrorism in all forms and manifestations. Perpetrators of terrorism including cross-border terror attacks should be expeditiously brought to justice.
– Need for full implementation of UN resolutions and targeted sanctions against UN designated terrorist individuals and entities.
– Proposed action plan against LeT and JeM as part of SCO framework. Emphasised adoption of international standards to counter terror financing including an MoU between SCO and FATF.
– Need to monitor new technologies used by terrorists including drones for smuggling of weapons and misuse of the dark web, artificial intelligence, blockchain and social media.