Defence Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting held in Qingdao, China, from June 25 to 26, 2025, leading a high-level Indian delegation.

The meeting convened defence ministers from all ten SCO member states—India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus—to deliberate on pressing regional and global security issues, with a strong focus on counter-terrorism, regional stability, and enhanced defence cooperation.

On the sidelines of the main event, Rajnath Singh held a series of significant bilateral meetings, including with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Russia, and Belarus. The discussions with Kazakhstan’s defence minister underscored the commitment to strengthening bilateral defence ties and collaborating on regional security, particularly in counter-terrorism and connectivity.

Singh’s meeting with Tajikistan’s Defence Minister, Lieutenant General Emomali Sobirzoda, centred on deepening defence cooperation and addressing shared security concerns. Talks with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov reinforced the longstanding India-Russia defence partnership, reviewing ongoing projects such as the supply and joint production of military hardware, including S-400 systems, T-90 tanks, and BrahMos missiles.

Engagements with Belarusian Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Gennadievich Khrenin focused on expanding bilateral defence cooperation, with Belarus’s recent accession as a full SCO member noted as a significant development for the organisation.

The meeting took place at the Qingdao International Conference Centre, the venue of the 2018 SCO Summit, symbolizing the organisation’s evolving role in regional cooperation.

Upon arrival, Rajnath Singh was received by Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun, and later joined other ministers for a group photograph before the official proceedings commenced. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif arrived after Singh, reflecting the sensitive diplomatic dynamics within the group.

During the plenary, Rajnath Singh reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to the principles and mandate of the SCO, emphasising sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and equality among member states.

He strongly advocated for united and consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the region, calling out countries that use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy—a veiled reference to Pakistan. Singh condemned the omission of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, from the draft joint statement, leading India to refuse to sign the declaration.

This move underscored India’s insistence on a principled and unified approach to regional security challenges, particularly terrorism, and highlighted the need for the SCO to avoid double standards in addressing such threats.

India also used the platform to articulate its vision for greater international peace and security, stress the need for deeper trade, economic cooperation, and connectivity within the bloc, and reaffirm its high regard for the SCO as a vehicle for multilateralism and regional engagement. China, as the current Chair of the SCO for 2025 under the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move,” hosted the event, further reflecting the bloc’s ongoing evolution and the importance of dialogue among its diverse members.

Rajnath Singh’s engagements at the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao highlighted India’s proactive approach to regional security, its unwavering stance against terrorism, and its commitment to multilateral cooperation, even as it navigated complex diplomatic challenges within the SCO framework.

Based On ANI Report