India’s Defence Minister refused to sign a joint SCO statement in Qingdao over the exclusion of the Pahalgam terror attack.

By Aniket Chakraborty

June 26, 2025

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INIDA NEWS

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The SCO document mentioned Balochistan but failed to acknowledge the attack that killed 26 in J&K, angering Indian officials.

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Sources say the omission was influenced by Pakistan, with China — this year’s Chair — backing the narrative.

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India slammed the “imbalance” in the document and declined to endorse any declaration that downplays cross-border terrorism.

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Rajnath Singh called on SCO nations to unite against radicalisation and to hold terror sponsors accountable.

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He directly accused some countries of using terrorism as a policy tool while sheltering extremists across borders.

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Referring to the Pahalgam attack, Singh blamed Lashkar proxy TRF and reiterated India’s right to strike back.

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He said India's zero-tolerance approach had proven that terror epicentres are no longer untouchable.

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The Defence Minister stressed that no SCO nation should tolerate double standards on terror anymore.

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India’s rejection of the SCO joint statement signals a hardening stance against China–Pakistan bloc diplomacy.

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