Qingdao, China: India has declined to endorse the joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) defense ministers’ meeting, citing irreconcilable differences with China and Pakistan over the issue of terrorism.
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, currently on a two-day visit to China for the meeting, refused to sign the document, stating it would compromise India’s firm stance on terrorism.
Sources close to the delegation explained that Minister Singh insisted on India’s unequivocal position regarding terrorism and the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which was carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists.
They added that attempts by China and Pakistan to divert attention from terrorism issues led to the decision not to issue any joint statement or protocol following the meeting.
The SCO is a strategic regional alliance of ten countries, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus that focuses on security cooperation, including counterterrorism and regional connectivity.
China is the current chair and host of this year’s SCO activities, including the defense ministers’ meeting in July and the summit scheduled for September.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh openly criticized Pakistan for its continued support of cross-border terrorism. “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 criticize such nations,” he said.
Given Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism targeting India, there will be no bilateral meeting between the defense ministers of India and Pakistan during the Qingdao gathering.
Relations between the two countries have sharply deteriorated since the Pahalgam terror attack, which India attributes to terrorists trained in Pakistan.
India’s firm position at the SCO highlights its unwillingness to compromise on core security concerns, especially in forums that include countries with conflicting interests on terrorism-related issues.
