India’s Defiance at SCO Summit
New Delhi, June 26, 2025 – India dealt a significant setback to China’s regional ambitions at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in Qingdao on Thursday, refusing to sign a joint statement that New Delhi criticized as pro-Pakistan for omitting the April 22 terror attack on Indian tourists in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rajnath Singh’s Stand on Terrorism
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, representing India at the SCO defense ministers’ meeting, rejected the statement, arguing it failed to address India’s concerns on terrorism and regional security, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The source, speaking anonymously as they were not authorized to brief the media, said Singh felt the document “aligned with Pakistan’s narrative” by ignoring the Kashmir attack while highlighting militant activities in Balochistan, where Pakistan has accused India of supporting separatists—a charge India firmly denies.
The Kashmir Attack and Regional Tensions
India holds Pakistan responsible for the April 22 attack in India-controlled Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, labeling it a terrorist act. Pakistan has rejected these allegations. The incident, one of the deadliest in recent years, escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, culminating in cross-border skirmishes before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
India’s Diplomatic Push
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing reporters in New Delhi, emphasized India’s stance: “We wanted the SCO document to reflect our concerns on terrorism, but one country blocked this, leading to the failure to adopt a joint statement.” Jaiswal reiterated India’s commitment to ensuring terrorism is unequivocally condemned within the SCO framework.
Singh’s Call for Unity Against Terror
In a statement, Singh, without naming Pakistan, called on SCO members to denounce nations that “use cross-border terrorism as a tool of state policy and harbour terrorists.” He stressed, “Terrorism is incompatible with peace and prosperity. Decisive action is needed to tackle these threats and hold accountable those who support such activities.”
China’s SCO Leadership and Regional Dynamics
The SCO, a China- and Russia-led bloc aimed at countering U.S. influence in Asia, includes India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Iran.
Hosted in Qingdao, home to China’s northern naval fleet, the meeting saw China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun hold bilateral talks with several counterparts, including Pakistan’s. Dong criticized “unilateralism and hegemony,” implicitly targeting the U.S., according to China’s Xinhua News Agency.
India’s Strategic Assertion
India’s refusal to endorse the statement indicates its growing assertiveness in regional forums and its fraught ties with both Pakistan and China, with whom New Delhi shares long-standing border disputes. The decision is in tune with India’s position on terrorism, particularly in the context of its rivalry with Pakistan, and signals New Delhi’s reluctance to align with Beijing’s regional agenda within the SCO.
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