Terrorism as instrument of statecraft simply unacceptable, not all states display zero tolerance: EAM Jaishankar

New Delhi: The use of terrorism as an instrument of statecraft is simply unacceptable and can never be justified, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said on Sunday, asserting that the menace continues because not all states display zero tolerance towards it.

Addressing the Chinmaya Amrit Mahotsav Global Sammelan held to mark the United Nations Day, Jaishankar said the world must develop a sharper awareness of the common threat.

"Terrorism is another deadly threat to peace. Its usage as an instrument of statecraft is simply unacceptable. It can never be justified; it can never be rationalised. Yet, it continues because not all states really display zero-tolerance. Despite history holding so many lessons, some still allow political calculations to take precedence," he said.

"The world must, therefore, develop sharper awareness about this common threat. And it must come together with stronger resolve and counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," the EAM added.

Referring to the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia, EAM Jaishankar said peace had become indivisible in a globalised world and that people far away, with little say in the matter, were paying the cost.

"We cannot remain helpless spectators. India expresses global sentiment when we urge that dialogue and diplomacy are the only solution. We are making efforts ourselves and are open to working with other partners to that end," he said.

Flagging the "4F crisis" of finance, fuel, food, and fertiliser facing the Global South, the EAM said the Global North had an equal stake in finding solutions.

"The international economy must be urgently de-risked and nations provided with more diversified options. Market distortions through constriction and chokepoints only add to suffering. A genuine dialogue in this regard is overdue," he said.

On Artificial Intelligence (AI), Jaishankar said something so consequential could not be left in the hands of just a few, reiterating India’s advocacy of a responsible, inclusive and human-centric approach.

Making a case for reforms at the UN, he said: "The case for reformed multilateralism gets stronger by the day. Large parts of the world cannot be left out from decision-making. The UN must show leadership; not be a spectator to global crises."

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