Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Stands Firm on Terrorism at SCO Summit

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) joint document due to its attempt to dilute India’s firm stance on terrorism and omission of the Pahalgam terror attack. The attack, which killed 26 people in Kashmir’s Baisaran Valley, was left unmentioned, while the document referenced Balochistan in a veiled attempt to blame India for unrest there.

China, as the SCO chair, along with Pakistan, reportedly sought to divert attention from terrorism issues and suppress references to cross-border terror affecting India. Singh stood resolute, highlighting the pattern of the Pahalgam attack, which mirrored past strikes by Lashkar-e-Taiba and its offshoot, The Resistance Front (TRF). TRF had claimed responsibility for the deadly attack.

In his address, Singh condemned countries using cross-border terrorism as a “policy instrument” to shelter terrorists and called for the SCO to reject double standards and hold such nations accountable. He reaffirmed India’s “zero tolerance” approach toward terrorism.

The summit, attended by defence leaders of SCO’s ten member states including China, Russia, Pakistan, and India, witnessed a tense encounter between Singh and Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, with no cordial exchanges.

Singh also defended Operation Sindoor, India’s recent cross-border strike that destroyed nine terror camps inside Pakistan, emphasizing India’s right to defend itself and deter future attacks.

Due to differences over terrorism, SCO did not issue a joint statement, underscoring the unresolved tensions within the organisation.