India has not signed the joint declaration at the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting, expressing concerns over its contents. The main points of contention include the omission of the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the inclusion of a reference to Balochistan. This was seen as a veiled accusation against India. Rajnath Singh represented India at the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, on June 26.
Singh addressed the SCO, emphasizing India’s strong stance against terrorism. He mentioned the Pahalgam attack and India’s use of ‘Operation Sindoor’ to counter cross-border terrorism. Singh also criticized countries that support terrorism, urging the SCO to condemn such practices. He called for collective action to combat terrorism and stated that the Pahalgam attack matched previous LeT attacks. India responded by launching Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, to dismantle cross-border terrorist infrastructure.