Qingdao [China], June 26: At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a firm message against nations that use cross-border terrorism as a policy tool, directly referencing the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and calling out Pakistan-based terror groups.
Addressing his counterparts from SCO member states, Singh stated:
“Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations.”
He cited the April 22, 2025 attack in Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed in Pahalgam. The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
“Victims were shot after being profiled based on religious identity,” Singh noted, calling the act “dastardly and heinous.”
The Defence Minister also announced that India responded decisively through Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, to dismantle cross-border terror infrastructure.
“In exercising its right to defend against terrorism… India successfully launched Operation Sindoor,” Singh said, affirming India’s zero tolerance for terrorism.
“We have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them.”
Singh stressed the importance of preventing radicalisation, especially among youth, and praised the SCO’s RATS mechanism (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) for its role in countering extremism.
“The joint statement issued during India’s Chairmanship on countering radicalisation symbolises our shared commitment,” he added.
The Defence Minister was received at the venue by Chinese Admiral Dong Jun. Notably, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif arrived shortly after Singh, underscoring the diplomatic sensitivity of the event.
The two-day SCO Defence Ministers’ meet (June 25–26) brings together military leaders from India, China, Russia, and Central Asian nations to discuss regional security, peace, and counterterrorism cooperation. Singh is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from China and Russia.
According to the Ministry of Defence, Singh will reaffirm India’s commitment to the SCO’s core principles, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference, and multilateral cooperation in security, trade, and connectivity.
India, which became a full member of the SCO in 2017, held the Chairmanship in 2023, while China leads the group in 2025 under the theme: “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.”