'Incumbent on both sides to maintain positive momentum': Rajnath Singh after meeting Chinese Defence Minister
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on June 27 that he held talks with Admiral Don Jun, the Defence Minister of China, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, China.
Singh said he had a constructive, forward-looking exchange of views on issues pertaining to bilateral relations with the Chinese counterpart.
'Expressed my happiness on the restarting of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a gap of nearly six years. It is incumbent on both the sides to maintain this positive momentum and avoid adding new complexities in the bilateral relationship,' Singh said in a post on X.
The defence ministers of the SCO member states, including in India, were in this port city of China to attend a two-day conclave on June 25-26.
A Chinese readout of the meeting said India does not seek confrontation with China, and it is for enhancing communication and mutual trust.
Following the eastern Ladakh border standoff, India has consistently maintained that peace and stability along the border are prerequisites for normalising overall ties.
The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020, and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe downturn in ties between the two neighbours.
The face-off effectively ended following the completion of the disengagement process from Demchok and Depsang's last two friction points under an agreement finalised on October 21.
In December last, NSA Ajit Doval visited Beijing and held talks with Wang Yi under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary dispute.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan on October 23 to decide to revive the SR mechanism and other such dialogue formats.
The Modi-Xi meeting came two days after India and China firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok.
India refused to endorse the joint declaration at the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting in China, citing the exclusion of concerns around terrorism as a key reason.
On June 26, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday revealed that a reference to terrorism — strongly pushed by India — was omitted from the document due to objections from 'one particular country', which blocked
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India could not agree to the final declaration, as it failed to address what New Delhi views as a critical regional challenge—terrorism.
'India wanted concerns on terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country, and therefore the statement could not be adopted,' Jaiswal said.
During his address at the SCO meeting, Singh strongly reiterated India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, urging all 11 participating countries to take a united stand.
It is incumbent on both the sides to maintain this positive momentum and avoid adding new complexities in the bilateral relationship.
'The perpetrators, organisers, financers, and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism—including cross-border terrorism—must be held accountable and brought to justice,' he stated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
17 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Jaishankar says SCO statement without terrorism reference unacceptable to India
Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday (June 27, 2025) said India wanted a reference to terrorism in the outcome document of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting, but it was not acceptable to one member country, an oblique reference to Pakistan. Mr. Jaishankar said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's view on the matter was right since the main purpose of SCO was to fight terrorism and without a reference to India's concerns, he would not accept the outcome document. Mr. Singh on Thursday refused to sign a joint communique of the SCO following the omission of the Pahalgam terror attack and not explicitly addressing India's concerns over Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism. At a conference of SCO Defence Ministers' conclave, Mr. Singh demanded inclusion of the terror attack in the communique, while the Pakistani side pressed for having a paragraph on militant activities in Balochistan in an apparent attempt to blame New Delhi, top sources said. The objective of SCO that runs through consensus was to fight terrorism, Mr. Jaishankar said in a press conference when asked about Mr. Singh's stand. "In the discussion on outcome document of the Defence Ministers' meeting, one country — you can guess which one — said 'no we don't want reference to that'," he said. The SCO runs by unanimity, Mr. Jaishankar said, but when one country said it will not accept any mention of terrorism, Mr. Singh communicated that the outcome document was not acceptable to India.
Mint
20 minutes ago
- Mint
Why US wants your social media account details to grant visas: Explained
Framing every visa decision as a matter of "national security," the U.S. has mandated that applicants submit the usernames or handles of all social media platforms they have used over the past five years. The statement, which was posted on X, read, 'Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames or handles of every platform they have used from the last 5 years on the DS-160 visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit.' The communication continued, 'Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.' At the weekly media briefing in capital, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked to respond to the statement of the US authorities. Jaiswal continued, 'It is our belief that all visa applications of Indian nationals should be treated on the basis of merit. And, we remain engaged with the US side on all mobility issues and consular issues to ensure that the legitimate interests of Indian nationals are safeguarded.' On June 23, the US Embassy asked those applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa to switch the privacy settings of their social media accounts to "public" to facilitate vetting, which it said was necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the US under law. The embassy had also said that since 2019, the US has required visa applicants to provide "social media identifiers" on immigrant and non-immigrant visa application forms. F or M category is for student visas and J category for exchange visitor visa. In Thursday's communication, the embassy also attached two related digital posters. "Every U.S. visa adjudication is a national security decision," read the caption on the top of a poster followed by a note. The note read, 'The United States requires visa applicants to provide social media identifiers on visa application forms. We use all available information in our visa screening and vetting.' Social media vetting involves reviewing a person's online presence—especially on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn—to assess their behavior, affiliations, and public reputation. This practice is increasingly being used in immigration and visa processes. In a recent policy update, the U.S. State Department informed its consulates that foreign students applying for F, M, or J nonimmigrant visas are now 'requested' to make their social media profiles publicly accessible. The aim is to allow officials to verify applicants' identities and conduct more thorough background checks. This move signals a tightening of security protocols, with social media activity now playing a significant role in visa vetting. Applicants are advised to ensure their online profiles reflect accurate, professional, and consistent information. The recent announcements come amid a broader immigration crackdown, including enforcement action in Los Angeles, California, under the Trump administration. In a statement issued on June 24, the embassy emphasised that the US has intensified the enforcement of immigration laws, warning that violators could face detention, deportation, and permanent ineligibility for future visas. The US also cautioned that anyone entering the country illegally would be subject to jail time and deportation. Earlier, on June 19, the embassy clarified that holding a U.S. visa is 'a privilege, not a right,' and that screening continues even after a visa is issued. The statement noted that a visa can be revoked if the holder violates U.S. laws. The embassy had also said that using illegal drugs or breaking any of the US laws while on a student or visitor visa could make one ineligible for future US visa. Earlier this month, the US Embassy in India also issued statements, underlining that while people travelling legally to America were welcome, illegal entry or abuse of visas won't be tolerated by the country. The United States 'will not tolerate' those who facilitate illegal and mass immigration to the US, its embassy said on June 16. The US Embassy had said the US had "established new visa restrictions" targeting foreign government officials and violators.
NDTV
28 minutes ago
- NDTV
Demarcation, Delimitation At Borders: India Shares 4-Point Plan With China
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday met his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao. The bilateral conversation, India's highest-level military dialogue with China in recent months, centred around maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and charting a roadmap for long-term border stability. A Four-Point Roadmap During the meeting, Mr Singh proposed a four-point plan designed to prevent further deterioration in India-China relations: 1. Strict Adherence to the 2024 Disengagement Agreement: Both sides are expected to honour and implement the disengagement pact signed in October last year, covering the remaining friction points in Eastern Ladakh, particularly Demchok and Depsang. 2. De-escalation Measures: Mr Singh called for continuous efforts to de-escalate tensions and avoid any flare-ups along the LAC. 3. Demarcation and Delimitation: Mr Singh urged for fast-tracked negotiations towards finalising the boundary delineation process. " Mr Singh stressed on border management and to have a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism on the issue," a government statement read. 4. Addressing Trust Deficit: The Defence Minister stressed the need to create good neighbourly conditions to achieve the "best mutual benefits" as well as to cooperate for stability in Asia and the world. He also called for bridging the "trust deficit" created after the 2020 border standoff. This dialogue marks the first high-level military engagement since India and China concluded the disengagement process at Demchok and Depsang Plains in October 2024. That agreement was the outcome of intense negotiations, culminating in the October 23 Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping meeting in Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. The meeting coincided with the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a nearly six-year suspension. Originally halted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later extended due to the border standoff, the pilgrimage to the Tibet Autonomous Region was viewed by both sides as a symbolic gesture towards normalisation. Terrorism and Pakistan Mr Singh also raised the issue of cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan, particularly referencing the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam which left 26 people dead. Mr Singh briefed his Chinese counterpart on Operation Sindoor, India's counter-terrorism campaign aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. Mr Singh refused to sign the joint SCO Defence Ministers' declaration that omitted any reference to terrorism or the Pahalgam attack. India viewed the exclusion as a deliberate attempt to downplay terrorism in the region. The final text of the SCO document instead made reference to Balochistan, which New Delhi interpreted as a veiled accusation.
