Zero Tolerance on Terror: Jaishankar at Chinmaya Mission Summit
Terrorism must not be used as a tool of state policy or as a means to achieve diplomatic objectives, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Sunday. Addressing a global conference of the Chinmaya Mission in New Delhi, he called on the international community to take a clear and tough stand against it.
The conference at Bharat Mandapam is the three-day culmination of a year-long series of events marking the 75th anniversary of the Chinmaya Mission.
Jaishankar said the conference theme, Advaita, broadly signals acceptance of our existence as a single reality. He asked that the world not be seen only through the prism of 'others.'
He then addressed the global debate between cooperation and competition. Humanity, he observed, has long seen disagreements between those who prioritise competition and those who consider cooperation a crucial value. Countries, he said, must reinforce mutual cooperation and shared responsibility to face global challenges. He noted that Article 1 of the UN Charter entrusted the organisation with making itself a centre for aligning the actions of nations toward common goals.
He described the present era as one of deep interdependence. A conflict in one area, he said, seldom remains local. It affects global peace, economic prosperity and development. Peace is indivisible, he argued, and war anywhere now becomes a threat to peace everywhere. Two major conflicts are presently under way, in Ukraine and in West Asia, the Middle East, he said. Violence and conflict, he added, hinder global progress and weaken the prospects for cooperation between countries.
India, Jaishankar said, reflects the sentiment of the whole world when it affirms that dialogue and diplomacy are the only solution. He said India is working on this path itself and is willing to collaborate with other partners to achieve it.
On terrorism, he called it a deadly threat to peace and said it cannot be accepted as an instrument of state policy under any circumstances. He added that terrorism persists because some countries allow it to flourish and refuse to pursue a zero-tolerance policy.
He also took aim at nations that favour political interests over lessons from history. The international community, he urged, must be more watchful about terrorism and follow a policy of zero tolerance toward it. His message gains weight as conflict, violence and security challenges continue in many parts of the world.
On the growing influence of AI, Jaishankar said the technology could become the source of all major transformations. Yet something with such wide and consequential impact cannot be left in the hands of a few people, he said. That would run counter to the freedom and democratisation trends the world has seen over the past 80 years. India, he stated, firmly backs a responsible, inclusive and human-centred approach.
He also spoke about India's role during COVID-19. Deciding how to make the best use of one's capabilities has always been central to international cooperation, he said, but it cannot be reduced to accounting alone. It demands a mindset of sharing and contributing. During the pandemic, India decided to provide vaccines to countries that might otherwise have been left behind, even as its own vaccination drive was underway.
Jaishankar underlined India's philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world as one family. This principle, he said, is practised in real life and not merely preached. Acknowledging that the world is imperfect, he said people keep striving for greater perfection. Regarding the United Nations, this means recognising its gaps and limitations and working to improve them. The call for reformed multilateralism is growing every day, and large sections of the world cannot be excluded from decision-making. The UN, he said, should lead during global crises rather than merely watch from the sidelines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the conference on October 23. It was organised to highlight the mission's 75-year journey and its spiritual and social contributions. The Prime Minister had linked the mission's journey to the national goal of Viksit Bharat 2047.