India Stands Firm Against Terrorism at SCO Meeting, Refuses Declaration

India declined to sign a joint declaration at the SCO meeting in China over terrorism concerns, absent in the document. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the need for collective action against terrorism and accountability for perpetrators, amid concerns of inconsistent references to terror attacks in the declaration.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting held in China, India's reluctance to endorse a joint declaration underscored its objections concerning the omission of terrorism issues crucial to its security stance. The Ministry of External Affairs explained that the document failed to address India's pressing concerns, which were, reportedly, unacceptable to a particular country, obstructing the consensus necessary for the declaration's adoption.

In a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's firm stance against terrorism. Singh urged member states to confront terrorism in all manifestations, emphasizing the necessity for accountability from organizers and sponsors of terrorism, including those involved in cross-border incidents.

India's decision was further influenced by the declaration's failure to mention the recent April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, while referencing incidents in Pakistan. Addressing the gathering, Singh highlighted the absence of a uniform stand against terrorism, warning that peace and terrorism could not coexist and stressing the importance of unified decisive action to tackle terrorism and the threat of WMD proliferation.