India refused to sign a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) document at the SCO Qingdao summit because it omitted mention of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives, and did not reflect India's strong stance on terrorism. The document, instead, referred to Balochistan and implicitly accused India of fomenting unrest there. This omission is believed to have been orchestrated by Pakistan, given China's current presidency of the SCO.
India has consistently rejected Pakistan's accusations of its involvement in Balochistan, urging Islamabad to introspect and cease supporting terrorism instead of making baseless allegations.
A Defence Ministry source stated, “India is not satisfied with the language of the joint document. It did not mention the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, but it did mention events in Pakistan. Therefore, India refused to sign the joint declaration, and there is no joint communiqué.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is currently in Qingdao, China, attending the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting. The summit includes member states, including Russia, Pakistan, and China, to discuss issues related to regional and international security. Established in 2001, the SCO aims to promote regional stability through cooperation. It currently comprises ten member states – Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Addressing the summit, Singh called upon SCO members to unite to eliminate terrorism for collective security and safety. He highlighted that the region's biggest challenges stem from a lack of peace, security, and trust, with extremism, insurgency, and terrorism being root causes.
Singh stated, “Peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terrorist groups. Decisive action is required to address these challenges. Those who sponsor, nurture, and use terrorism for their narrow and selfish objectives must face the consequences.”
He indirectly criticised Pakistan, stating that some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide sanctuary to terrorists. There should be no room for such double standards. The SCO should not hesitate to call out such nations.
Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, Singh stated that India has exercised its right to defend against terrorism and prevent cross-border attacks. He said, “During the Pahalgam terror attack, victims were shot based on their religious identity. The Resistance Front, a proxy of the UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. The pattern of the Pahalgam attack matches previous LeT terrorist attacks in India.”
India's zero-tolerance towards terrorism has been demonstrated through its actions, including our right to self-defence against terrorism. We have shown that terrorist hubs are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them.
He stressed the need to apprehend and bring to justice the perpetrators, organisers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorism. He termed every act of terrorism as criminal and unjustifiable. He said SCO members should unequivocally condemn this evil.
India's firm stance has been lauded by international diplomatic and defence experts as a “bold and precise move”. Analysts say India is no longer compromising on its national security interests. Many defence analysts also stated that this move directly challenges the growing dominance of China and Pakistan.
Following India's stance, it will be crucial to observe whether other SCO members – particularly Russia, Iran, and Central Asian countries – stand with India. Furthermore, India's future participation and stance in upcoming summits could shape the SCO's direction. This issue may also arise in future forums like the G20 and BRICS.
A major question in this controversy is why the Pahalgam terror attack was ignored in the document while attempting to corner India by mentioning Balochistan. Sources believe this could be part of a joint strategy between China and Pakistan. Chinese influence was evident in finalising the document, leading to India's objections being ignored.
The Defence Minister's refusal to sign the joint statement demonstrates India's strong stance against terrorism and aligns with the global message following Operation Sindoor. Eight delegations were sent abroad to clarify New Delhi's stance on terrorism and its future plans to combat it.
