Key points
- SCO statement does not mention Pahalgam incident
- The statement mentions terrorist activities in Pakistan’s Balochistan
- India has been unable to convince the global community on Pahalgam
ISLAMABAD: India has reportedly refused to sign a joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for “not incorporating Indian concerns related to terrorism”.
According to Indian media reports, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the document as it does not mention anything about the April 22 Pahalgam incident. The statement mentioned foreign-sponsored terrorist activities in Pakistan’s Balochistan.
“We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism, including cross border terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation whenever, wherever and by whom-so-ever committed. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally,” Singh said in a string of posts on X.
Lack of evidence
India has accused Pakistan of the Pahalgam attack, but has been unable to furnish credible evidence and convince the global community. However, it expects partners to understand its stance on terrorism.
At the SCO summit, India refused to sign the joint statement as it mentioned Balochistan, where credible evidence links India to terrorist activities. 🔺🔺
From intelligence leaks to the arrest of agents like Kulbhushan Jadhav, RAW’s role is increasingly exposed. 🔺🔺
While the… pic.twitter.com/0rHE3Az7Z5
— Eagle Eye (@zarrar_11PK) June 26, 2025
Pakistani officials have termed the decision not to sign the document as a “selective leak to media for political grandstanding back home.”
According to officials, the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting, like previous ones, is held periodically, during which a joint communiqué and minutes of the meeting (protocol) are signed.
“In this case, in the preparatory process for this meeting, expert-level discussions had started earlier this month. At that point, India had not brought the Pahalgam incident to the SCO for its reflection in the draft text. It introduced the text relating to the condemnation of the Pahalgam incident after expert discussions had concluded and the final round of senior officials close to the Defence Ministers meeting in Qingdao,” the officials said.
Isolated
The officials said, “the fact of the matter is India was isolated on the issue of how to characterise terrorist attacks. India as usual, was single-minded on Pehalgam while Pakistan and everyone else who spoke, including Russia etc, sided with Pakistan’s logic of referencing other attacks in SCO member states.”
India again threatened to block the signing of the entire protocol if its language on Pehalgam was not included.
“On this India was alone and this explains its decision then to project refusal to sign – but what actually means Indian desperate attempt to respond to a situation where all SCO member states were in agreement to the protocol except India. And now India is twisting it to say it refused to sign the SCO document,” the officials added.
On Iran-Israel conflict
India also found itself isolated when it came to the first SCO statement on the condemnation of Israeli aggression against Iran. It tried to wriggle out of the SCO’s position by maintaining that it did not participate in the drafting process, thereby implying its dissociation from the SCO statement. Many in the SCO expressed frustration over “Indian antics”.
Again, after the US attack on nuclear sites, India tried to do the same trick but was forced to join the SCO statement, the statement said.
Russia’s stance on Ukraine
Russian Defence Minister Andrey Removich Belousov said at the Meeting of Defence Ministers of the SCO Member States in Qingdao that the military-political situation in the world remains difficult and has a tendency to deteriorate.
“The Russian Armed Forces are conducting successful offensive operations, and Kiev, realising the inevitability of its defeat, is relying on terrorist attacks. Further support of Ukraine, aimed at prolongation of military activity, is increasing the threat of destabilisation, including in Europe itself,” he said.
Coordinated counterterrorism efforts
Pakistan’s Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif led a delegation to the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting.
In his address, the defence minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the principles and objectives of the SCO, emphasising the importance of collective security, coordinated counterterrorism efforts and enhanced regional connectivity.
He underscored that the SCO serves as a critical pillar of stability by actively fostering dialogue, mutual trust, and collaborative partnership among its member states.
Asif reiterated Pakistan’s adherence to the Charter of the United Nations, the SCO Charter, and universally accepted international laws aimed at promoting peace, security, good neighbourly relations, and cooperation between nations.
Grave concern
Expressing grave concern over ongoing global conflicts, the minister condemned the unprovoked and unlawful military actions taken by Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Asif also voiced Pakistan’s deep concern over the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, calling for the immediate implementation of a permanent ceasefire to halt Israel’s brutal and relentless attacks on Palestinian civilians and to ensure the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid.
The minister emphasised that in order to achieve the shared vision of lasting regional prosperity, a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is essential for advancing regional connectivity under the SCO framework.
On the issue of terrorism, the defence minister stressed that it remains a common threat and must be addressed collectively.
“Pakistan calls on all states to desist from politicising the joint effort of International Community to fight the means of terrorism to deflect attention from their internal failures. Pakistan also condemns the terrorist attack in the internationally recognised disputed and illegally occupied region of Jammu and Kashmir. We call upon all states to hold these states to account who planned, financed and sponsored terrorist attacks such as Jaffar Express in Pakistan Baluchistan Province,” he said.
The minister also highlighted the international community’s responsibility to resolve long-standing disputes, such as Kashmir and Palestine, cautioning that unresolved conflicts continue to endanger global peace and security.
In this regard, he urged for the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue, mediation, and preventive diplomacy.
Bilateral engagements
On the sidelines of the meeting, the minister held bilateral engagements with his counterparts from Tajikistan, Iran, Kazakhstan and China, exchanging views on shared security priorities and deepening collaboration.
Pakistan’s active engagement in the forum underscores its enduring role as a constructive contributor to regional stability and cooperative multilateralism under the SCO umbrella.
