India refuses to sign SCO statement on terror

India has refused to sign a joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China. Official sources said that India is not satisfied with the language of the joint document and there was no mention of cross-border terrorist activities. It is believed that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s refusal to endorse the document resulted in the conclave ending without a joint communique. As per the SCO Charter, the grouping takes decisions by agreement without a vote, and they are considered to be adopted if no member state raises objections. Sources said, China & Pakistan wanted to drop mention of Pahalgam attack but include Jaffar Express incident in Balochistan.
It is said that more SCO member states have backed India’s stance. The resolution has not been adopted at the summit, as India firmly insisted on including the term “cross-border terrorism.” China and its 'all-weather friend' Pakistan tried to divert the attention from terrorism in the SCO document. Rajnath Singh firmly stood his ground on India's stand on terrorism. No pleasantries were exchanged with Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif by India,
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is an intergovernmental body established in 2001. India became a full member in 2017. Current SCO members include Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus, and India. China holds the Chair of the SCO for 2025 under the theme “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.”