NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday took a firm stand at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting held in Qingdao, China, by refusing to sign a joint statement that would have diluted India’s position on critical issues, particularly concerning terrorism and regional security.The move underscores India’s commitment to its strategic autonomy and its uncompromising stance against cross-border terrorism.The document reportedly skipped any mention of the heinous Pahalgam terror attack but made direct reference to militant activities in Balochistan. Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of backing Balochistan freedom movement, allegations that India has categorically denied. The bloc later decided not to issue a joint statement over divergence on the issue of terrorism.The SCO Summit brought together defence leaders from the organisation’s ten member states, including China, Russia, Pakistan, and India. The agenda focused on regional peace and security, counter-terrorism cooperation, and enhancing military collaboration among member states.
Poll
Do you agree with India’s refusal to sign the joint statement at the SCO meeting?
Also read: Rajnath Singh slams Pakistan at SCO Summit; Khawaja Asif presentDuring the meeting, Rajnath Singh explicitly condemned the use of terrorism as a state policy tool, a veiled but clear reference to Pakistan. He highlighted recent terror incidents such as the Pahalgam attack, which bore the hallmark of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror group. Singh stressed that there should be no tolerance or double standards in combating terrorism and called for collective action against those who sponsor, nurture, and use terrorism for narrow political ends.“Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations,” Singh said in a strong statement. His remarks emphasised that peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terror, urging SCO members to unite in their fight against this menace.“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. We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, accountable and bring them to justice,” he further stated.India’s refusal to sign the joint communique at the SCO meeting was consistent with its previous independent stances in multilateral forums, where it has resisted attempts to align fully with China’s agenda. India had earlier declined to endorse paragraphs supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative at the 2023 SCO summit and opposed China’s proposed Brics currency basket plan.Also read: Doval meets Wang, stresses need to counter terror for regional peaceThe Defence Minister’s visit to China also included bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, aimed at improving military communication channels, including the possible restart of the India-China military hotline. This visit marks the first by the defence minister to China since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, signaling cautious optimism for de-escalation and dialogue despite ongoing tensions.
About The Author
