India on Wednesday impressed upon the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) nations the need to shun double standards on terrorism and hold sponsors, financiers and facilitators of the menace accountable.

Any act of terror committed by whomsoever, whenever and for whatever reasons is not justified, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said in his address at the 19th Meeting of Secretaries of the Security Council of SCO in Astana. Apart from India, the SCO includes China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

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Doval asserted that perpetrators of terrorism should be effectively and expeditiously dealt with, including those involved in cross-border terrorism.

He also raised the issue of the continued threat posed by various terror groups in the SCO region, including those designated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including Al Qaeda and its affiliates, ISIS & its affiliates, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad.

The Indian official stressed the need to counter the use of technology by terrorists, including drones for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs. He said that India supports the creation of effective mechanisms for countering terror financing and supports further strengthening of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) SCO in this regard.

Highlighting the ties between SCO nations and India, he stated that the relationship goes back several centuries and is committed to further deepening it. He emphasised that India is committed to enhancing transit trade and connectivity, which he stressed must be fully respectful of sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member States.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan stated, “Shri Ajit Doval, NSA led delegation at 19th Meeting of Secretaries of Security Council of @sco_rblx in #Astana. NSA Ajit Doval also called on the President of Kazakhstan @TokayevKZ along with Representatives of other Member States.”

Mr Doval expressed deep concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, including the continued presence of terrorist networks. He stated that India, as a contiguous neighbour of Afghanistan, has legitimate security and economic interests in Afghanistan.

He stated that SCO’s immediate priorities in Afghanistan include providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring the formation of a truly inclusive and representative government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children and minorities.