‘Must dismantle terror ecosystem’: Modi's message to SCO members, Pakistan among them

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to dismantle the global “terrorism ecosystem,” singling out state sponsors who shelter and fund militant groups. Addressing the annual SCO summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, Modi urged the 10-member bloc to move beyond shared statements and toward concrete action against terrorist financing, recruitment and safe havens.

Speaking alongside leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Modi stressed that dialogue and diplomacy must guide the resolution of conflicts worldwide. “Battlefields cannot provide solutions,” he said. “All wars and conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.”

The prime minister also linked regional security to economic development, outlining India’s vision for the SCO centered on three pillars: Security, Connectivity and Opportunity. He emphasized that infrastructure projects must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member states. “It is time to turn these three pillars from vision into concrete outcomes,” he said.

With global uncertainty rising, Modi urged the bloc to transform shared geography into shared opportunities. “Through our efforts, we must bring positive changes to the lives of our people,” he told the gathering attended by leaders from across Central Asia, South Asia and beyond.

India used the platform to reiterate its stance on cross-border terrorism, pressing for stronger collective measures against groups operating from Pakistan-backed safe havens. The SCO summit in Astana brought together 10 member states, 15 dialogue partners and two observer nations, reflecting the bloc’s growing role in addressing regional security and economic challenges.

The SCO, which accounts for roughly 25 percent of global GDP, has expanded its influence since its founding in 2001. This year’s summit under Kazakhstan’s presidency focused on strengthening cooperation amid rising geopolitical tensions and economic volatility.

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