S Jaishankar Condemns Terrorism as Persistent Threat to Global Development at G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting

In his address at the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting in New York on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted terrorism as a "persistent threat" to development and peace globally.

Indirectly referencing 'Operation Sindoor', Jaishankar stated, "Those who act against terrorists on any front actually render a larger service to the international community as a whole," emphasizing the interconnected nature of terrorist networks worldwide.

The minister stressed that "it is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities," reinforcing India's stance against terrorism following its operations against terrorist enclaves in Pakistan earlier this year.

Jaishankar, who oversaw India's G20 Presidency last year before South Africa assumed leadership, criticized what he termed "double standards" in international sanctions. Without explicitly naming the United States, he referenced punitive tariffs imposed on India for purchasing Russian oil.

He pointed out that such sanctions have "jeopardized supplies and logistics" while turning "access and cost themselves into pressure points on nations," arguing that "by threatening development, we cannot facilitate peace."

The minister suggested leveraging countries capable of engaging with both sides in conflict situations, noting that "such countries can be utilized by the international community, both to achieve peace and to maintain it thereafter."

This statement aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomatic approach, as he has maintained dialogue with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, consistently advocating for peaceful resolution and stating it is not the "time for war."

Jaishankar highlighted how peace and development have "deteriorated in parallel," particularly affecting Global South nations through increased prices of energy, food, and fertilizers, citing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza as stark demonstrations of this trend.

He called for reform of multilateral structures, particularly the United Nations, which he said have revealed "limitations in facing the challenges of economic pressures and terrorism."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed these sentiments, urging renewed trust in international cooperation and encouraging nations to "work together to reaffirm peace as the surest path to sustainable economic development, and multilateralism the anchor of a safer, fairer future for all."