India calls for unified action against terrorism at SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reaffirmed India’s firm stance against terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting at Qingdao, China, urging member states to act collectively to safeguard regional peace and stability.

Addressing key regional challenges, Singh identified terrorism, radicalisation, and extremism as the foremost threats to peace, stressing that peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism or the spread of weapons of mass destruction to non-state actors. He strongly criticised countries that harbour or sponsor terrorists, urging the SCO to reject such double standards unequivocally.

Referencing Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, the Minister highlighted India's zero-tolerance approach. The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, targeted civilians based on religious identity. Singh asserted that terror bases are no longer beyond reach and India will act decisively to defend itself.

He also called for greater accountability of those who finance, organise, or perpetrate acts of terror, and pushed for coordinated efforts to curb radicalisation, hybrid threats, and drone-based cross-border smuggling.

Beyond counterterrorism, the Minister emphasised India’s support for regional connectivity, particularly with Central Asia, and reaffirmed India's humanitarian and development commitments in Afghanistan. He also outlined initiatives such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and India’s maritime visions, SAGAR and MAHASAGAR, aimed at enhancing regional security and growth.

Calling for reformed multilateralism, Singh urged SCO members to adopt an approach based on transparency, mutual trust, and cooperation, rooted in India’s guiding principle of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ – One Earth, One Family, One Future.