India Adopts Zero Tolerance Terrorism Policy, Challenges SCO Security Consensus

India has adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, emphasizing targeted and strategic strikes against terror networks rather than just individual militants. Defense Secretary RK Singh and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted recent operations like Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled territories, signaling a shift to proactive and calculated military responses. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ meeting, India called for unified condemnation and decisive action against terrorism, implicitly criticizing Pakistan for harboring and supporting terrorists. India refused to sign the joint SCO communiqué due to the omission of references to terrorism and specific incidents like the Pahalgam terror attack, underscoring its insistence that terrorism must be explicitly addressed in multilateral forums. The Indian government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is also focusing on strengthening indigenous military capabilities, including drone technology, to maintain the element of surprise and enhance its counterterrorism operations. This stance reflects India’s firm position that peace and security cannot coexist with terrorism and that countries supporting terrorism must face consequences.