THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Qingdao, June 26: India refused to sign the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, objecting to the omission of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
The declaration, however, mentioned incidents in Pakistan — a clear imbalance that prompted New Delhi to withhold its endorsement.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave on Thursday, stressed the need to hold both perpetrators and sponsors of terrorism accountable. However, he refrained from signing the bloc’s joint communique, citing its failure to directly acknowledge India’s concerns about Pakistan-supported cross-border terrorism.
Calling out selective condemnation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the SCO must not hesitate to criticise countries that sponsor or shelter terrorism. In a sharp rebuke aimed at Islamabad, Singh warned that those who use terrorism as state policy must face consequences.
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Referring to the Pahalgam attack, Singh said 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, were brutally killed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Victims were targeted based on religious identity. “This act must be condemned unequivocally. There can be no justification for such violence,” he stated.
Highlighting India’s response, Singh noted that on May 7, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ to dismantle cross-border terror infrastructure and defend its sovereignty. He reaffirmed India’s zero-tolerance approach and its right to act against the epicentres of terrorism.
He urged SCO members to unite against threats such as cross-border terrorism, radicalisation, and the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) to non-state actors. “Peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terrorism,” Singh emphasized, stressing the need for collective action.
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The minister also flagged the use of emerging technologies by terrorist groups, including drones for drug and arms smuggling, and called for coordinated countermeasures. “In a borderless world of cyber warfare and hybrid threats, cooperation rooted in mutual trust is critical,” he said.
Singh concluded by urging respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity in all connectivity efforts, reiterating India’s commitment to regional stability, mutual trust, and deeper engagement with Central Asia.
