Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, held significant bilateral discussions with his counterparts from Tajikistan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan on June 26, 2025.

In these meetings, he underscored the importance of sustained defence cooperation and the exploration of new avenues for collaboration, particularly in technical fields and defence innovation.

Singh highlighted India’s rapid advancements in defence production and its progress toward self-reliance in key defence sectors, inviting further cooperation in areas such as capacity building, joint training, military education, and technical exchanges.

A crucial aspect of these discussions was Singh’s briefing on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed in an assault attributed to The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Singh described the attack as a direct assault on India’s social unity and a continuation of cross-border terrorism orchestrated from Pakistan.

In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, which Singh characterized as the country’s most significant anti-terror action to date.

The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure across the border in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, aiming to dismantle networks operated by groups such as LeT, JeM, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

The Indian military was granted wide latitude to carry out strikes, resulting in significant casualties among terrorists and the destruction of multiple terror bases.

Singh emphasized that Operation Sindoor was executed as a decisive and proportionate response, and he warned that India remains prepared to take further action if necessary. The operation was paused only after Pakistan requested a ceasefire, but Singh made it clear that the campaign is not considered over, sending a strong message about India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.

During the SCO meeting, Singh called on member states to unequivocally condemn the Pahalgam terror attack and stressed the need for collective action against terrorism in all its forms.

However, India declined to sign the joint declaration at the SCO summit because the final document omitted any mention of the Pahalgam attack, despite referencing incidents in Pakistan. This omission was viewed by India as unacceptable, leading to its refusal to endorse the declaration and the absence of a joint communique.

The bilateral meetings concluded with a mutual commitment to deepen defence ties, enhance military-technical cooperation, and strengthen regional security.

The counterparts from Tajikistan, Belarus, and Kazakhstan acknowledged the importance of continued collaboration and agreed to pursue further capacity building, joint training, and military education initiatives as part of their shared interests.

Based On ANI Report