Rajnath Singh stands firm at SCO Summit in China

At the SCO summit in Qingdao, China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign a joint statement that excluded the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. His decision highlighted India’s firm stance against terrorism and its demand for accountability amid tensions with Pakistan and China.

The document’s reference to Balochistan, while ignoring Pahalgam, prompted his objection.

Pahalgam’s exclusion prompts refusal

Singh rejected the communique because it omitted the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. “India is not satisfied with the language of the joint document, there was no mention of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, there was mention of the incidents that happened in Pakistan, so India refused to sign the joint declaration, and there is no joint communique either,” news agency ANI reported quoting sources.

Sources suggested Pakistan’s influence, backed by China’s SCO Chair, led to Pahalgam’s exclusion.

Condemning terrorism unequivocally

Singh condemned terrorism at the summit, stressing the need to hold perpetrators accountable. “We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, accountable and bring them to justice. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomever committed. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally,” said Rajnath Singh.

India's defence minister highlighted the Pahalgam attack by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy, which targeted victims based on religious identity.

Singh detailed India’s response to the attack, noting Operation Sindoor’s success in dismantling terrorist infrastructure. “On 22 April 2025, the terror group ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) carried out a dastardly and heinous attack on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-six innocent civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed. Victims were shot at after they were profiled based on their religious identity. The Resistance Front, which is a proxy of the UN-designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack,” added Singh.

“The pattern of the Pahalgam terror attack matches with LeT’s previous terror attacks in India. In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross-border terrorist attacks, India on 7 May 2025 successfully launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle cross-border terrorist infrastructure,” said Singh.

Unified response to transnational threats

Singh called for a unified response to terrorism, a transnational threat requiring transparency and collaboration. “These threats do not respect national boundaries, and they demand a unified response rooted in transparency, mutual trust, and collaboration,” said Singh. He also praised the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) and urged proactive steps to curb youth radicalisation, citing India’s 2023 SCO Chairmanship statement on countering extremism.