External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar made the argument for 'Operation Sindoor' at the meeting of the G20 Foreign Ministers on Thursday, asserting that fighting terror is a service to the international community.
Referring to terrorism as a major threat to development and peace, he said, "Given the extensive networking among terrorists, those who act against them on any front, actually render a larger service to the international community as a whole."
Though he did not mention India's Operation Sindoor, carried out a few months ago against terror camps within Pakistan, the tone was unambiguous.
"A persistent threat to development is that perennial disruptor of peace, terrorism," he said.
"It is imperative that the world display neither tolerance nor accommodation to terrorist activities."
India, which was last year's G20 Presidency holder, officially transferred the reins to South Africa this year.
While speaking at the event, EAM Jaishankar also made a veiled attack on the inconsistency of applying sanctions on countries allegedly to push Russia to stop the war in Ukraine, without calling out the US, which had slapped punitive tariffs on India for buying Russian oil.
He noted, "Besides risking supplies and logistics, access and cost themselves became pressure points on countries."
"Double standards are clearly in evidence," he added.
He pointed out the economic implications of such actions, saying, "By threatening development, we cannot enable peace (and) making energy and other essentials more uncertain in an economically vulnerable situation benefits no one."
Without naming India or any particular nations, he proposed taking advantage of countries that are capable of involving the two sides in fights to enable peace building.
"In any conflict situation, there will be a few who have the ability to engage both sides," he said.
"Such countries can be utilised by the international community, both to achieve peace and to maintain it thereafter."
"So even as we attempt to address complex threats to peace, the value of encouraging a buy in from those supportive of such goals should be appreciated," EAM Jaishankar added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been personally interacting with Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, pushing for a peaceful resolution, reiterating that it is not the "time for war".
"The focus is on the relation between peace and development, but both have deteriorated in parallel affecting especially the Global South because of the rise in prices of energy, food and fertilisers," EAM Jaishankar said.
"This was starkly demonstrated by ongoing conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Gaza," he said.
He emphasized the need for reforming multilateral organizations, mentioning that institutions, particularly the UN, have been seen to have limitations when it comes to the challenges posed by economic pressures and terrorism.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the restoration of faith in international cooperation, saying, "Let us work together to reaffirm peace as the surest path to sustainable economic development, and multilateralism the anchor of a safer, fairer future for all."
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