Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is believed to have refused to sign a joint statement at the SCO Defence Ministers meeting in China on Thursday after India took a firm stand that perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism should be held “accountable and “brought to justice” which was an obvious hint at Pakistan’s use of terror as statecraft.
It’s learnt that Singh’s refusal forced the SCO not to issue a joint statement after the defence ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China. It’s understood that India’s pitch that the Pahalgam terror attack be referred to in the joint statement was not accepted.
Singh cites Pahalgam attack, calls for naming terrorism sponsors
On the eve of the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting, Singh had made India’s stance clear when he called for a “joint and consistent effort” to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the region -- a move to isolate Pakistan.
“We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism, including cross border terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation whenever, wherever and by whom-so-ever committed. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally,” the Defence Minister said at the meeting.
He also stated that peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups, perhaps indicating not just Pakistan but China too.
On April 22, 2025, the terror group ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) carried out a dastardly and heinous attack on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving 26 innocent civilians, including a Nepali national, dead. Victims were shot at after they were profiled based on religious identity. The Resistance Front, which is a proxy of UN-designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack, the Minister said.
Operation Sindoor and tech-driven terror threats flagged
The pattern of the Pahalgam terror attack matches with LeT’s previous terror attacks in India. In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross-border terrorist attacks, India, on May 7, 2025, successfully launched Op Sindoor to dismantle the cross-border terrorist infrastructure, Singh said at the meeting.
We should seek to counter the technology used by terrorists, including drones, for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs, he said. “In our interconnected world, traditional borders are no longer the sole barriers against threats. Instead, we face an intricate web of challenges that range from transnational terrorism and cyber-attacks to hybrid warfare,” the Minister said.
These threats do not respect national boundaries and demand a unified response rooted in transparency, mutual trust, and collaboration. India reaffirms its resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, he insisted.
Calls for trust building
He also urged the removal of the trust deficit among SCO member countries, indicating fissures among signatory countries especially. For example, though India and China have improved their relations but, trust remains a casuality between the two neighbours as China arming Pakistan was visible in Operation Sindoor. Likewise, India and Pakistan are inimical to each other, and Pakistan and Iran don’t have the best of relations, which was visible again in Israel and the USA’s attack on Tehran.
China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran, the latest entrant, are members of the SCO.
“India supports greater cooperation and mutual trust among SCO members. We should collectively aspire to fulfil the aspirations and expectations of our people as well as tackle today’s challenges. We must all be in lockstep in our endeavour in strengthening stability and security in our neighbourhood,” Singh posted on x.
Singh stated that India has sought to build consensus on dealing with global challenges based on the motto One Earth, One Family, One Future, which is founded on our civilisational ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). Mutual understanding and mutual benefit must be our guiding principles, he advocated.
Afghanistan stability
The Defence Minister, however, stated that India has been consistent and steadfast in its policy in support of peace, security and stability in Afghanistan. Our immediate priorities in Afghanistan include providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and contributing to Afghanistan’s overall developmental needs. As Afghanistan’s largest regional development partner, India continues implementing capacity-building initiatives for the Afghan people, he told the gathering.
We should also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalisation among our youth, Singh tried to convince the member countries. The RATS mechanism of SCO has played a significant role in this regard. The joint statement of the Council of SCO Heads of State on ‘Countering Radicalization leading to Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism’ issued during India’s Chairmanship symbolises our shared commitment, he noted.