NEW DELHI: In a forceful intervention at the G7 outreach session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a consistent, unified global response to terrorism, warning that selective approaches and double standards threaten the credibility of the international fight against violent extremism.
Modi’s remarks come against the backdrop of a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which killed 26 people.
Without naming any country, Modi described the attack as a direct assault not just on India, but on shared global values.
“The terrorist attack was not only on Pahalgam, but also on the soul, identity, and dignity of every Indian. It was an attack on the entire humanity," he told world leaders gathered in Kananaskis.
Modi took aim at what he called the international community’s inconsistent posture on terrorism.
“On one hand, we are quick to impose all kinds of sanctions based on our own preferences. On the other hand, countries that openly support terrorism are rewarded,” he said. His remarks appeared to reflect India's long-standing frustration with international leniency toward state sponsors of terrorism.
“There should be no place for double standards on terrorism,” he said, asserting that global peace and democratic stability depend on a clear, collective approach.
“If any country supports terrorism, it will have to pay the price for it.”
Modi also used the platform to underline the disproportionate impact of conflict and instability on developing nations. Speaking on behalf of the Global South, he noted that these countries are most vulnerable to crises — be it food, fuel, fertilizer, or finance.
“Unfortunately, the Global South suffers the most from uncertainty and conflicts,” he said, reaffirming India’s commitment to amplify their concerns at international forums. “India considers it its responsibility to bring the priorities and concerns of the Global South to the world stage.”
Modi’s address came during his first visit to Canada in a decade, and the first since bilateral relations soured in 2023 following Canadian allegations of Indian involvement in the killing of a pro-Khalistan separatist — a charge New Delhi rejected as “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
