Terror and peace cannot co-exist: Rajnath Singh

Qingdao: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh called for united and decisive action against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the possession of non-state actors and terrorist groups during his address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in China’s Qingdao this week.

He underlined that peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terror and highlighted radicalisation, extremism, and a growing trust deficit as the foremost challenges facing the region.

“I believe that the biggest challenges that we are facing in our region are related to peace, security, and trust deficit. And the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalization, extremism and terrorism,” Singh said.

“Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups,” he said, stressing that only a collective and resolute stand can ensure safety and security for all.

He said that it is “imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilize terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences". “Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticize such nations,” he asserted.

Reiterating India’s zero tolerance towards terrorism, Singh said, “India’s zero tolerance for terrorism is manifest today through its actions. This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe, and we will not hesitate to target them.”

The minister urged member states to act against the use of modern technology by terrorists, particularly the use of drones for smuggling weapons and narcotics.