National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has called for shunning double standards in combating the menace of terrorism. He said, perpetrators of terrorism should be effectively and expeditiously dealt with including those involved in cross-border terrorist activities. Mr Doval was addressing a security conclave of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana, Kazakhstan yesterday. He underlined the need for holding accountable the sponsors, financiers and facilitators of terrorist activities. Mr Doval also raised the issue of the continued threat posed by various terror groups in the SCO region, including those designated by the UN Security Council such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Al Qaeda and its affiliates and ISIS. The National Security Advisor strongly condemned the barbaric terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall in Moscow on March 22 and expressed condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones.

Mr Doval said, security is India’s priority in the SCO as elaborated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in line with his vision for a SECURE SCO. The acronym SECURE stands for Security, Economic Cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environment Protection. The NSA emphasised that India’s relationship with SCO countries goes back several centuries and it is committed to further deepening it. The SCO comprises India, Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Iran.