Rajnath Singh declines to endorse SCO statement due to unresolved cross-border terrorism concerns

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly declined to sign the joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, held in Qingdao, China from June 25 to 26. According to reports, Singh refrained from endorsing the document due to its failure to adequately address India’s concerns regarding cross-border terrorism.

At the summit, India highlighted the threat of terrorism originating from across its borders, referencing the April 22 Pahalgam attack and Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy, The Resistance Front. These concerns, however, were not explicitly acknowledged in the final draft of the joint statement.

Citing sources, news agency PTI reported that India’s decision stemmed from the absence of a concrete and unified strategy to combat terrorism, particularly cross-border attacks. Consequently, the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting concluded without a joint declaration from its members, which include India, China, Russia, and several Central Asian nations.

Speaking at the meeting, Singh emphasized the importance of a unified and uncompromising stance on terrorism. “There can be no double standards in dealing with terrorism,” he asserted. He further stressed that peace, security, and mutual trust in the region are being undermined by rising radicalism and extremism, which must be tackled with collective resolve.

Highlighting India’s firm stance, Singh noted, “Our actions have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe. We reserve the right to defend ourselves and will not hesitate to target such threats.”

Following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation escalated into a four-day standoff between India and Pakistan, further intensifying regional tensions.