Geneva, Feb 26: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivered a resolute message at the UN Human Rights Council’s 61st High-Level Segment, reaffirming India’s uncompromising stance against terrorism in all forms and calling for collective global action to confront it.
Addressing virtually, Jaishankar stressed, “Terrorism is among the most egregious violations of human rights—there can be no justification, especially when innocent lives are targeted.” He urged the Council and UN to champion “zero-tolerance for terrorist acts,” adding, “Confronting terrorism requires collective resolve.”
Jaishankar highlighted India’s approach in a polarized world: “dialogue over confrontation, consensus over division, and human-centric development over narrow interests.” Rooted in “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”—the world as one family—India views human rights as integral to its civilizational ethos, not abstract ideals.
As a newly elected Council member reflecting Global South trust, he critiqued how pandemics, climate change, and geopolitical tensions exacerbate inequities, eroding SDGs through lost education, food/fuel insecurity, and debt. India counters this via massive human capacity building and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), enabling transparent welfare for millions—now shared globally as a “force multiplier for human rights.”
Jaishankar emphasized India’s empathy-driven aid—disaster relief, vaccines, food grains—positioning it as a “dependable partner of first resort.” He advocated advancing rights through “dialogue, capacity-building, and genuine partnerships,” rejecting “politicisation, selectivity, or double standards,” while noting regional insecurity ultimately undermines all.
The address aligns with India’s recent UNHRC rebukes of Pakistan’s “la-la land” propaganda on J&K, reinforcing zero-tolerance amid Western Command’s militancy decline reports.
