India Refuses To Sign SCO Document That Skipped Pahalgam, Had Balochistan
Rajnath Singh Refuses To Sign SCO Document That Removed Pahalgam And Had Balochistan
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- From: India News Bull
Defence Ministers of SCO member states gather in Qingdao, China
New Delhi:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has taken a firm stance by declining to sign a joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting due to the document's failure to acknowledge the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives and its inadequate reflection of India's strong position against terrorism. While the joint document omitted any reference to the Pahalgam incident, it notably mentioned Balochistan, implicitly suggesting Indian involvement in unrest there. The exclusion of Pahalgam from the document appears to have been influenced by Pakistan, with China, its steadfast ally, currently holding the SCO Chair.
India has consistently rejected Pakistan's claims regarding its alleged involvement in Balochistan, urging Islamabad to look inward and cease supporting terrorism rather than making unfounded accusations.
"India could not approve the language used in the joint document. The terrorist attack in Pahalgam wasn't mentioned, while incidents in Pakistan were referenced, leading India to reject signing the joint declaration, resulting in no communique being issued," a Defence Ministry source revealed.
Mr Singh is presently in Qingdao, China, participating in the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting. The summit brings together member states including Russia, Pakistan, and China to address regional and international security concerns. Founded in 2001, the SCO aims to enhance regional stability through cooperation and currently comprises ten member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
In his address to the summit, the Defence Minister called for SCO members to unite against terrorism to ensure collective security. He identified peace, security, and trust deficit as the region's primary challenges, with radicalization, extremism, and terrorism constituting their fundamental causes.
"Terrorism and the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups cannot coexist with peace and prosperity. These challenges require decisive action. Countries sponsoring, nurturing, and utilizing terrorism for narrow and selfish purposes must face consequences. Some nations employ cross-border terrorism as a policy instrument and provide sanctuary to terrorists. Such double standards should not be tolerated. The SCO should not hesitate to criticize these nations," Mr Singh stated, making a veiled reference to Pakistan.
Addressing the Pahalgam terror attack, he affirmed India's right to defend itself against terrorism and to prevent and deter further cross-border attacks. "During the Pahalgam terror attack, victims were targeted based on religious identity. The Resistance Front, a proxy of the UN-designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility. The Pahalgam attack pattern matches LeT's previous terrorist activities in India. India demonstrated its zero tolerance for terrorism through its actions, including our right to self-defense against terrorism. We have shown that terrorist safe havens are no longer secure, and we will not hesitate to target them," he declared.
He emphasized the necessity of holding perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorism accountable and bringing them to justice. He characterized all acts of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable, urging SCO members to condemn this evil unequivocally.
The Defence Minister's refusal to sign the joint statement underscores India's resolute stance against terrorism and aligns with the global messaging following Operation Sindoor. Eight delegations were dispatched internationally to articulate New Delhi's position on terrorism and its future counter-terrorism strategy.