NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a firm stand at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, by refusing to endorse a joint statement that could have weakened India’s position on key issues, especially cross-border terrorism and regional security.
Rajnath Singh’s refusal underscores India’s strategic autonomy and its unwavering stance against terrorism. The proposed document reportedly omitted any mention of the recent Pahalgam terror attack—believed to be carried out by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba—while including references to militant activity in Balochistan, a region where Pakistan has repeatedly accused India of interference, claims India strongly denies.
Due to this divergence, the SCO bloc ultimately did not issue a joint communique.
During the meeting, which brought together defence ministers from all 10 member states including China, Russia, Pakistan, and India, Singh reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. In a veiled reference to Pakistan, he denounced the use of terror as a tool of state policy and urged the SCO to hold sponsors of terrorism accountable.
“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.
He emphasised that peace cannot coexist with terror and called for unified condemnation of terrorism, stressing that all terror acts—regardless of motivation or location—must be universally denounced.
India’s refusal to sign the joint statement aligns with its history of maintaining independent positions at multilateral platforms. India had previously opposed references to China’s Belt and Road Initiative at the 2023 SCO summit and resisted China’s proposal for a BRICS currency basket.
Singh’s visit also included bilateral discussions with Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun, with talks focusing on improving military communications, including the potential revival of the India-China military hotline.
This visit marks the Defence Minister’s first to China since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020, signalling a cautious step toward re-engagement amidst persistent tensions.