Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a firm diplomatic move, India refused to sign the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) joint statement after it omitted mention of the Pahalgam terror attack and included references to Balochistan, indirectly blaming India. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is attending the SCO Defence Ministers’ meet in Qingdao, China, made the decision, citing India’s dissatisfaction with the document’s language.
India takes exception to selective references
The joint communique reportedly mentioned incidents in Pakistan while skipping the brutal April 22 Pahalgam attack, which left 26 civilians dead. Sources from the Defence Ministry confirmed that India did not endorse the statement because it lacked a balanced view on terrorism and ignored India’s concerns. The inclusion of Balochistan, allegedly at Pakistan and China’s behest, was seen as a veiled accusation against India.
Rajnath Singh’s strong address
In his address to the SCO, Mr Singh urged all members to eliminate terrorism collectively and warned against nations using cross-border terror as a policy tool. Without naming Pakistan directly, he said some countries shelter terrorists and must face consequences. He specifically mentioned the Pahalgam attack, blamed on Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy The Resistance Front, and defended India’s right to retaliate under Operation Sindoor.
Reinforcing India’s counterterrorism stance
Rajnath Singh stressed that peace and development cannot coexist with terrorism and the spread of WMDs to non-state actors. He reiterated India’s zero tolerance policy and highlighted the importance of unified condemnation by SCO nations. The Defence Minister’s decision not to endorse the declaration aligns with India’s broader diplomatic outreach, where it is seeking global support post-Pahalgam.
