• Source:JND
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the SCO joint statement as it did not mention Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists. Also, the document alleged India of orchestrating unrest in Balochistan. The defence minister arrived in this Chinese port city on Wednesday to attend the SCO Defence Ministers' Conclave.

"India is not satisfied with the language of the joint document, there was no mention of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, there was mention of the incidents that happened in Pakistan, so India refused to sign the joint declaration, and there is no joint communique either," news agency ANI reported quoting its sources.

Pahalgam terror attack overlooked

The Pahalgam attack was overlooked despite the fact Singh had raised strong concerns during the meeting over the recent incident in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China, on Thursday, he firmly stated that India delivered a resolute response to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"On 22 April 2025, the terror group 'The Resistance Front' (TRF) carried out a dastardly and heinous attack on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. 26 innocent civilans, including a Nepali national, were killed. Victims were shot at after they were profiled based on religious identity. The Resistance Front which is a proxy of UN designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claimed responsibility for the attack," Singh said during the event in China.

Rajnath Singh takes scathing attack on Pak and China

He underscored that "some" countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists and added there should be no place for such double standards. Without naming China, an all-weather friend of Pakistan, Singh pressed that SCO members should not hesitate to criticise such nations. Pakistan Defence Minister Asif Khawaja was also present during the meeting when Singh launched a scathing attack.

"The biggest challenges that we are facing in our region are related to peace, security and trust-deficit," he said. "And the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalisation, extremism and terrorism."

ALSO READ: Rajnath Singh Slams China, Pakistan Defence Minister At SCO: 'Some Nations Use Terror As State Policy, Must Be Called Out'

Singh said peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups. "Dealing with these challenges requires decisive action, and we must unite in our fight against these evils for our collective safety and security," he said.

Double standards in dealing terrorism

The defence minister said those who sponsor, nurture and utilise terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences. There should be no place for double standards in combating terrorism, he said, adding the SCO should not hesitate to criticise nations indulging in double standards in combating the menace.

ALSO READ: From Calling Out Double Standards To Urging Action Against Terrorism: Ajit Doval Presses SCO To Hold Pakistan Accountable

Singh also said the pattern of the Pahalgam terror attack matched with Lashkar-e-Taiba's previous terror attacks in India. India is following a policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism, he said. The defence minister also noted that India has been consistent and steadfast in its policy in support of peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.

(With inputs from agency)