India Blocks SCO Statement Over Terrorism Silence, Cites Pakistan Links

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, India, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, refused to endorse the joint statement due to its omission of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, which India attributes to Pakistan-backed militants. India objected to the statement’s failure to call out cross-border terrorism explicitly and its inclusion of references to unrest in Balochistan, which India views as an attempt by Pakistan and China to shift blame onto India. Singh urged the SCO to unite against terrorism and condemned countries that sponsor and harbor terrorists, highlighting India's zero tolerance for terrorism and commitment to justice for victims. The refusal to sign marked a rare breakdown in consensus within the SCO, signaling a challenge to China's leadership and a disruption of a China-Pakistan strategic narrative aimed at cornering India diplomatically. India maintained that peace cannot coexist with terrorism and stressed the need for accountability for perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors of terrorism. This move underscores India's assertive stance on terrorism in multilateral forums, countering attempts by Pakistan and China to manipulate the regional security narrative.