Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a strong address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China, emphasizing India’s concerns over cross-border terrorism and calling out the double standards of certain countries—an implicit reference to Pakistan—without naming it directly.

Singh underscored that some nations use cross-border terrorism as a tool of state policy and provide safe havens for terrorists, asserting, “There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations”.

His remarks came in the aftermath of the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including a Nepali national. The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the UN-designated terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Singh highlighted that the victims were targeted based on their religious identity, describing the act as “dastardly and heinous”.

Singh called for a united and principled stand among SCO member states against terrorism and extremism, stating, “Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whom-so-ever committed. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally.” He reiterated the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, accountable and bring them to justice.

Addressing broader regional challenges, Singh identified peace, security, and trust deficit as the most significant issues confronting the region. He advocated for “reformed multilateralism” to foster cooperation, dialogue, and conflict prevention, noting that no country, regardless of its size or power, can tackle these challenges alone.

The two-day SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting, hosted under China’s 2025 chairmanship with the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move,” brought together defence ministers from all ten member states, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. The agenda covered regional security, counter-terrorism, defence cooperation, and broader economic and connectivity initiatives.

On the sidelines of the summit, Singh was scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from China and Russia, focusing on border security, regional defence cooperation, and counter-terrorism collaboration.

India’s participation and Singh’s remarks reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the SCO’s principles and its stance against terrorism, while calling for greater unity and consistency among member states in addressing shared security threats.

Based On A NDTV Report