In Bishkek on Tuesday, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation did what it does best - produce a declaration that says everything and means different things to different members.
"Double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, leaders said and called on the international community to combat terrorism, including the cross-border movement of terrorists," the joint declaration read.
The Bishkek Declaration adopted by India, Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China and Central Asian states is important because India has always maintained Pakistan is responsible for cross-border terrorism.
On terrorism, the joint declaration stated: "Member States, reaffirming their firm commitment to combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, emphasise the inadmissibility of attempts to exploit terrorist, separatist, and extremist groups for selfish purposes. They recognise the leading role of sovereign states and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats."
It adds: "Member States consider any attempt to undermine unity, sovereignty and structures of SCO member states unacceptable. They emphasise that such actions violate international law and undermine principles of sovereign equality of states and non-interference in internal affairs."
Member States strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, emphasise that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable.
For India, the paragraph on Iran is uncomfortable. Since India has strong ties with Israel, and its criticism of US and Israeli strikes on Iran is not the norm for Delhi, the declaration notes "deep concern over developments in the Middle East... Member States express their position condemning military strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which have resulted in numerous civilian casualties."
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines. The photo-op is the message - managing the border standoff while sitting at same table.
The footnote is petty but telling: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's office cropped out PM Modi from SCO group photograph and posted it on X, facing backlash on social media, then later restored original.
What did SCO achieve? It reaffirmed that One Earth, One Family, One Future is for developing dialogue, that international law enshrined in UN Charter must be respected, and that members want to strengthen role as guarantor of peace and equitable multipolar world.
Double standards language suits everyone: India can point it at Pakistan, Pakistan at India, Russia at West on Ukraine, West at Russia-China on human rights violations. The declaration acknowledges two wars - Ukraine and West Asia - are ongoing and situation where geopolitical tensions, driven by ongoing conflicts, energy and food security challenges, global market instability, and climate change.