Rajnath Singh refuses to sign SCO statement as cross-border terrorism concerns remain unaddressed
Jun 26, 2025 12:18 PM IST
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday has reportedly refused to sign the joint statement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). As per reports, the defence minister refused to dot India's name on the document due to its failure to address India's concern regarding cross-border terrorism. India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends the Defense Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Members States in Qingdao (AP)
At the SCO Summit, India raised its concerns regarding cross-border terrorism, citing the Pahalgam attack and conflict with Pakistan.
However, as per PTI, Rajnath Singh refused to endorse the joint statement as it not did explicitly address India's concerns.
Citing sources close to the matter, PTI reported that India's refusal comes due to no clear-cut approach to combat terrorism, including cross-border terror attacks.
With Singh's refusal, the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting concluded with no joint statement from the participants. The meeting was held from June 25 to 26 in Qingdao, China.
Defence leaders from member states such as India, China, Russia, and other Central Asian nations came together to discuss issues related to regional and international peace and security.
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India has refused to endorse the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in China, citing the exclusion of concerns around terrorism as a key reason. 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 the consensus needed for adoption. At a press briefing, 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. Randhir Jaiswal further explained that while the Defence Ministers' meeting, held over two days in China, concluded as scheduled, the final joint statement fell through due to a lack of consensus among member states. During his address at the SCO meeting, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh strongly reiterated India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism, urging all 11 participating countries to take a united stand. '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. Without naming Pakistan directly, Rajnath Singh condemned the selective application of counter-terrorism standards and made a thinly veiled reference to Islamabad's track record. 'There should be no double standards on terrorism. Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism,' Singh added. Another factor that influenced India's refusal to sign the joint statement was the exclusion of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of Indian security personnel. In contrast, the draft declaration reportedly included references to incidents in Pakistan—an imbalance that New Delhi found unacceptable. India maintained that any credible joint declaration on regional security must include an unequivocal condemnation of all forms of terrorism, especially incidents that directly impact member countries. Rajnath Singh also raised alarm over the risk of terrorist groups gaining access to weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), underscoring the long-term implications for global peace and stability. 'Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of WMDs in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups,' Singh warned. 'Dealing with these challenges requires decisive action, and we must unite in our fight against these evils for our collective safety and security,' he added. India's refusal to endorse the SCO joint statement reflects a growing assertiveness in its foreign policy—particularly when it comes to counter-terrorism. By standing its ground at the SCO platform in China, India signalled that national security and principled diplomacy cannot be compromised for the sake of consensus alone. The MEA confirmed that India will continue to engage with all SCO members but will do so based on 'mutual respect, shared values, and a common commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms.'
