Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms while addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China. He urged SCO nations to hold the perpetrators, sponsors, and financiers of terrorism accountable and to reject double standards in tackling the global threat.
“Terrorism is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation. We must bring those responsible—including cross-border sponsors—to justice. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally,” Singh asserted.
He cited the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed by ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF), a proxy of the UN-designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to dismantle cross-border terror infrastructure.
Singh reiterated India’s zero tolerance for terrorism, emphasizing that the country reserves the right to strike back at the epicentres of terrorism, and declared that peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terror or the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs).
“India has shown that terrorist sanctuaries are no longer safe. We will not hesitate to act in self-defence,” he said.
He also raised alarm over the misuse of technology by terrorists, including drones for smuggling weapons and narcotics. Singh stressed the need for a unified response to modern transnational threats like cyberattacks, radicalisation, and hybrid warfare.
Highlighting India’s proactive approach, Singh praised the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) for its role in countering radicalization and echoed support for the Council of SCO Heads of State’s joint statement on countering terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
“Those who use terrorism as state policy must face consequences. SCO must not hesitate to call them out,” Singh said in a veiled reference to Pakistan.
He further identified peace, security, and trust-deficit as the region’s key challenges, driven by growing radicalization and extremism.
Singh also welcomed Belarus into the SCO and reaffirmed India’s commitment to multilateralism, security, and regional cooperation under the principles of sovereignty and non-interference.
The SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting (June 25–26) brings together leaders from India, China, Russia, Pakistan, and Central Asian countries to discuss regional and international security challenges.
