PM Modi Calls for End to Double Standards on Terrorism at 26th SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to dismantle the ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, and safe havens during the 26th SCO summit in Bishkek, the capital of the Kyrgyz Republic. Speaking on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Modi stated that there can be no place for double standards in the fight against terrorism and that terrorism should never be used as a strategic asset or an instrument of policy. These remarks were made in the presence of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The summit concluded with the adoption of the Bishkek Declaration, which echoed the call against using terrorist, separatist, and extremist groups for personal or selfish gain.

Regarding regional stability, Modi linked a secure Eurasia to peace in Afghanistan, noting India's ongoing humanitarian assistance to the country. The Bishkek Declaration urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to establish an inclusive government featuring all ethnopolitical groups. On the issue of West Asia, Modi noted that conflicts in the region disrupt energy security and supply chains, with the Global South bearing the greatest brunt. The SCO declaration expressed deep concern over events in West Asia, supported Iran's sovereignty, and called for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict. The declaration also mentioned the negative impact of unilateral global missile defense systems on international security and asserted the right of member states to develop atomic energy for peaceful purposes.

Additionally, the Kyrgyz Republic's Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev announced that member states welcomed the progress toward establishing an SCO Development Bank and agreed to complete consultations for its founding document as soon as possible. While center and center-left reports focused on the policy goals of the Bishkek Declaration and the systemic approach to terrorism, the center-right report framed Modi's comments as a direct challenge to Pakistan and China, highlighting the specific presence of Shehbaz Sharif during the speech.