'Double standards on terrorism are unacceptable': Modi raises Pahalgam at SCO Summit in presence of Pak PM

In presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Modi said, "For the past four decades, India has been bearing the grave scars of ruthless terrorism. Countless mothers have lost their children, and innumerable children have been left orphaned.

"Recently, we witnessed the most heinous face of terrorism in Pahalgam. I express my deep gratitude to all the friendly nations that stood by us during this moment of grief. This attack was not only an assault on the conscience of India, but also an open challenge to every nation, and every individual who believes in humanity."

"In such circumstances, it is natural to ask: Can the open support for terrorism by certain countries ever be acceptable to us? We must state it clearly and in one voice: double standards on terrorism are unacceptable. Together, we must oppose terrorism in every form and manifestation. This is our responsibility towards humanity," the Prime Minister added.

"Terrorism is not only a threat to the security of individual nations, but a shared challenge to all of humanity. No country, no society, no citizen can consider themselves completely safe from it. That is why India has consistently stressed the importance of unity in the fight against terrorism."

In a big diplomatic win, the SCO has condemned the Pahalgam terror attack after Prime Minister Modi raised the issue of cross-border terrorism in his bilateral meeting with China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the event in Tianjin.

Mentioning the attack, the member states expressed "deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded".

The member states said attempts to use terrorists, separatists and extremist groups for mercenary purposes and "double standards" in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, NDTV reported.

Earlier, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misry said PM Modi had raised the matter of cross-border terrorism in the bilateral meeting with Jinping and China has vowed to support its neighbour on this issue.

"The issue of cross-border terrorism was raised by the Prime Minister and he outlined his understanding very crisply and very specifically. He outlined the fact that this is a scourge that both China and India have been victims of, and India is still combating this menace, and he asked for China's support on this particular issue. As I said, the Chinese have extended their support in various ways on addressing this issue," Misry told the press.

Interestingly, the Pahalgam attack was not mentioned in the document during the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao in June this year.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had refused to sign the document which had included the Balochistan unrest obliquely accusing India of causing the situation prevailing in the Pakistani region despite New Delhi's repeated rejection of its involvement.

PM Modi met Jinping in Tianjin on Sunday and said he is "committed" to taking India-China relations "forward based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity".

Modi at SCO Summit. Photo: MEA India/X

Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit that begins on Sunday.

During the meeting, PM Modi also said an "atmosphere of peace and stability" has been created after the disengagement on the border.

"Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," he said.

Modi also spoke about the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights between the two countries.

"The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity," he said.