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National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday called for shunning double standards in combating terrorism and urged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to hold accountable perpetrators, organisers and financers of cross-border terrorism, seen as reference to Pakistan.
IMAGE: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Photograph: Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via Reuters
Doval made the remarks in an address at a meeting of the security council secretaries of the SCO in Beijing.
The NSA conveyed India’s deep concern over continued threat from United Nations-proscribed terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Al Qaeda, Islamic State and its affiliates.
More importantly, Doval highlighted the need to shun ‘double standards’ in the fight against terror.
Any act of terrorism, including cross-border terror, is a ‘crime against humanity’, Doval said.
The NSA specifically called on SCO member states to hold accountable the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of acts of cross-border terror and to help bring them to justice.
Though he directly didn’t name Pakistan, his remarks appeared to be directed against Pakistan.
The NSA said New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle terror infrastructure and deter terrorists from carrying out attacks in India following the Pahalgam terror strike.
Besides India and China, the SCO comprises Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
In his remarks, Doval pitched for decisive action against terrorists proscribed by the UN and groups such as LeT, JeM and their proxies, as well as dismantling of their ‘terror eco-systems’.
He said New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle terror infrastructure and deter terrorists from carrying out attacks in India following the Pahalgam terror strike.
In response to the attack in Pahalgam in which TRF, a proxy of LeT, killed 26 Indian and Nepalese nationals and injured several others after segregating them on the basis of religion, India launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle terror infrastructure, he said.
Doval said India’s actions were ‘measured and non escalatory’.
The NSA also pitched an ‘algorithm of joint actions’ to counter challenges posed by international terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and its affiliates.
He also floated the idea of a ‘joint information operation’ to counter extremist ideology and joint measures to counter radicalisation that leads to terrorism, separatism and extremism.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is also travelling to China’s Qingdao to attend the SCO defence ministers conclave beginning Wednesday.
Singh is set to press the SCO to ramp up efforts to contain terrorism.
The defence minister is expected to highlight India’s continued commitment to the principles and mandate of the SCO, outline India’s vision towards achieving greater international peace and security, and called for joint and consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the region, according to an official readout.
