Rajnath Singh refuses to sign SCO communiqué over Pahalgam attack omission
With Singh’s objection, SCO defence ministers’ meet in Qingdao concludes without a joint communiqué;

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao (China). (Photo:@AnwarAh63552241/X)
Qingdao, June 26: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday, refused to sign a joint communique of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) following the omission of the Pahalgam terror attack and not explicitly addressing India's concerns over Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism.
The SCO operates under the framework of consensus, and Singh's refusal to endorse the document resulted in the SCO defence ministers' conclave in this Chinese port city ending without a joint communique, people familiar with the matter said.
The draft communique neither figured the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack nor reflected India's position on cross-border terrorism, they said.
In his address at the conclave, Singh took a swipe at Pakistan for its relentless support to cross-border terrorism and underlined the need to bring "perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism to justice".
"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. The SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations," he said.
The defence minister, who arrived in Qingdao on Wednesday, laid down the broad contours of India's "transitional shift" in its policy against terrorism and urged the SCO member nations to unite in combating and shun "double standards".
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun were among those who attended the conclave.
"Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups," Singh said.
Singh also said that the pattern of the Pahalgam terror attack matched with Lashkar-e-Taiba's previous terror attacks in India.
Singh said SCO members must condemn terrorism unequivocally as he reaffirmed India's resolve to fight the menace in all its forms.
Highlighting the SCO's crucial role in the current uncertain geopolitical scenario, Singh said that the member countries contribute around 30% of the global GDP, and about 40% of the world's population resides in them.
He described the creation of a safe, secure and stable region as a collective stake, which can contribute towards the progress and improvement of people's lives.
"However, in these efforts, it is essential to uphold the basic principles of the SCO charter, particularly respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states."
PTI