NEW DELHI, June 26: In a strong diplomatic move, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the joint statement issued at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, objecting to its silence on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and its reference to Balochistan.
The document failed to acknowledge the Pahalgam terror strike, which claimed the lives of 26 individuals and was carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. India viewed the omission as unacceptable, particularly given the SCO’s stated commitment to combating terrorism in the region. Furthermore, the statement’s reference to Balochistan was seen as an indirect attempt to blame India for unrest in the Pakistani province—an allegation India has long dismissed as baseless.
Defence Minister Singh, representing India at the summit, asserted that terrorism “doesn’t respect national boundaries” and called for decisive and united international action. “India has zero tolerance for terrorism,” Singh stated, reaffirming New Delhi’s stance with a pointed mention of Operation Sindoor, India’s recent counter-terror operation against Pakistan-sponsored militants.
The SCO, currently chaired by China—Pakistan’s close strategic ally—has faced criticism from India for not holding Pakistan accountable for its repeated support for cross-border terrorism. India’s decision to dissociate from the joint declaration is being seen as a message to both Islamabad and Beijing that New Delhi will not endorse any platform that glosses over terror incidents or indirectly propagates anti-India narratives.
The SCO, formed in 2001, aims to enhance regional security and counter-terror cooperation among its ten member states: India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. However, India’s move has exposed growing fissures within the organisation on counterterrorism priorities and mutual trust.
India has consistently maintained that peace and development cannot coexist with the support and export of terrorism. Singh’s firm stand at the SCO is a continuation of India’s efforts to isolate state sponsors of terrorism on global platforms and seek justice for its victims.
