India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, along with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, urged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to unite against terrorism to foster mutual trust and stability. This declaration has resonated strongly in India following the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed 26 civilian lives.
1 / 7During the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh collaborated with counterparts from Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. He stressed the importance of combatting terrorism and holding those who finance it accountable. (Image: Defence Minister of India/X)
2 / 7He declined to endorse the SCO joint declaration, citing concerns over its wording and the omission of references to the Pahalgam attack. “It is crucial that those who sponsor and manipulate terrorism for their own agendas face consequences. Certain nations exploit cross-border terrorism as a policy tool while harboring terrorists. Such double standards must not be tolerated. The SCO should openly criticize such countries,” Singh asserted during the meeting. (Image: PTI)
3 / 7Additionally, Singh held discussions with Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov to enhance defence cooperation between India and Russia. (Image: Defence Minister of India/X)
4 / 7Rajnath Singh presented a Nataraja sculpture, symbolizing Shiva as the lord of dance and dramatic arts, to his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov.
5 / 7Singh conferred with Belarusian Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin during the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao. (Image: Defence Minister of India/X)
6 / 7Before the defence ministers’ meeting, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to review the status of India-China relations, emphasizing the necessity to combat all forms of terrorism for regional stability. (Image: Embassy of India in Beijing/X)
7 / 7Doval also engaged with Aleksandr Venediktov, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, on June 24. (Image: Embassy of India in Beijing/X)
