Pak takes SCO chair, PM Modi slams use of terror as strategic asset - The Times of India

**Pakistan Assumes SCO Chairmanship as India’s Prime Minister Condemns Terror‑Based Strategy**

*New Delhi, September 1, 2026* – The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) officially handed over its rotating chairmanship to Pakistan during the summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. The transition, scheduled for a two‑year term, places Pakistan at the helm of the 9‑nation security and economic bloc that includes China, Russia, India, and Central Asian states. In his opening address, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted “the opportunity to deepen regional connectivity, counter‑terrorism cooperation, and sustainable development” under Pakistan’s leadership. The ceremony was attended by heads of state, including India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who used the platform to launch a stark rebuke of Pakistan’s alleged reliance on terrorism as a foreign‑policy tool.

Modi’s remarks, quoted by *The Times of India*, framed terrorism as “a strategic asset that Pakistan continues to weaponise against its neighbours.” He warned that such a posture “undermines the very purpose of the SCO, which was founded on mutual trust, security cooperation and respect for sovereignty.” The Indian leader called for a “zero‑tolerance” approach to state‑sponsored terror and urged member states to adopt “robust, collective mechanisms” to curb cross‑border extremist networks. While India has long championed a hard‑line stance against Pakistan’s alleged support for militant groups, Modi’s comments marked a rare public censure at a multilateral forum, signaling heightened diplomatic pressure ahead of the next round of SCO security talks.

Sharif responded later in the day, shifting focus to the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 accord governing the sharing of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. He accused New Delhi of “politicising water resources” and warned that any unilateral moves could jeopardise the “lifeline of millions of Pakistanis.” The exchange underscored the broader strain in Indo‑Pak relations, even as both countries navigate overlapping strategic interests within the SCO. Meanwhile, Modi’s parallel outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin—advocating a “peace pitch” to end ongoing conflicts in Ukraine—illustrates India’s attempt to balance its non‑aligned foreign‑policy tradition with the realities of a shifting global order. Analysts note that the SCO summit will test whether collective security can be pursued amid these bilateral frictions.