Jaishankar Backs Rajnath Singh’s Refusal to Sign SCO Statement Over Omission of Terrorism Reference

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday defended Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s decision to withhold India’s endorsement of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) joint statement, citing the absence of any reference to terrorism.

Speaking to media, Jaishankar explained that “one country” within the SCO objected to including terrorism in the communique, despite the organisation’s founding purpose being to combat terror. Without naming the country, he hinted at Pakistan, saying, “you can guess which one.”

Jaishankar emphasized that India could not support a statement that ignored terrorism, particularly after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Rajnath Singh, who attended the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China, refused to sign the joint declaration, citing its failure to acknowledge terrorism or mention the Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, the draft statement did include a reference to the March 11 hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Pakistan by the Balochistan Liberation Army, a move seen by some as Pakistan’s attempt to deflect attention and blame India.

As a result of India’s objection, the SCO meeting concluded without a joint communique.

At the conclave, Singh reaffirmed India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism and indirectly criticized Pakistan, stating, “Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards.” He also hailed Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military response targeting terror camps in Pakistan and PoK.

The SCO comprises India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. India joined in 2017 and held the rotating presidency in 2023.