In a firm message to neighbouring nations, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on Thursday after it failed to acknowledge the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
While the declaration omitted any reference to the Pahalgam attack, it included mentions of Balochistan, a move viewed as an indirect attempt to implicate India.
The omission appears to have been influenced by Pakistan, backed by its long-standing ally, China, which currently holds the SCO chair. New Delhi has repeatedly rejected Pakistani accusations about its role in Balochistan.
The SCO, founded in 2001, comprises ten member nations, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and aims to foster regional stability through cooperation.
Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh addressed the summit, calling for unity to eradicate terrorism. He asserted that peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terror and the spread of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors.
“Those who sponsor, nurture, and utilize terror for selfish gains must be held accountable. Some nations continue to use cross-border terror as an instrument of state policy and provide safe havens for terrorists. The SCO must openly call out such double standards,” Singh stated, in a sharp message aimed at Pakistan.
Referring to the Pahalgam attack, the Defence Minister reaffirmed India’s right to defend itself and deter cross-border aggression. “During the Pahalgam attack, the victims were targeted based on their religious identity. The Resistance Front, a proxy of the UN-designated terror group Lashkar‑e‑Taiba, claimed responsibility. This attack mirrors the modus operandi of LeT in the past. India’s zero tolerance for terror is demonstrated in its decisive action. We have shown that the epicentres of terror will not be safe, and we will not hesitate to target them,” he added.
