Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, China, strongly criticised Pakistan for its continued support of cross-border terrorism. Citing Operation Sindoor — a pre-emptive strike launched by India on May 7 — Singh said it was carried out to deter further terrorist attacks and dismantle terror infrastructure based in Pakistan.
Without naming Pakistan directly at first, Singh said, "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. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations."
Referring to India’s counterterrorism measures, Singh added, “We have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe, and we will not hesitate to target them.” He urged SCO members to unite against terrorism, and highlighted the role of the SCO’s RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) mechanism in countering radicalisation. He also referred to the 2023 joint statement issued during India’s SCO Chairmanship as a symbol of shared regional commitment against extremism and separatism.
Singh’s comments came during his visit to China from June 26–27 — his first since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. He is expected to meet Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the SCO meeting, potentially to discuss reactivating the stalled military hotline between the two nations.
The meeting brought together defence ministers from all SCO member states, including China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and several Central Asian countries. The Ministry of Defence noted that Singh would reiterate India’s commitment to peace and security, the fight against terrorism, and the need for enhanced regional cooperation.
