Indian authorities said on Thursday (June 26) that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ meeting held in China failed to pass a joint statement as India refused to sign it, citing a lack of consensus on the mention of “terrorism.” This setback for Beijing’s ambitions to expand regional influence.
The SCO is a Eurasian security and political organization composed of 10 countries, including China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran. The Defense Ministers’ meeting was a precursor to the annual summit of SCO leaders scheduled for the fall. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh attended the SCO Defense Ministers’ meeting.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at the weekly press briefing, “Some member countries could not reach a consensus on certain issues, so we could not finalize the document.”
He said, “India wanted the document to reflect concerns about terrorism, but one country could not accept it, so the statement was not passed.” He did not name the country.
According to Indian media reports, Singh refused to sign the document because it did not mention the April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, which resulted in the death of 26 people, mainly Hindu pilgrims.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack, but Pakistan denied the accusations. The attack triggered the most serious conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbors in decades.
According to a confidential source, Singh opposed the joint statement of the Defense Ministers of the SCO, stating that it undermined India’s position on key issues such as terrorism and regional security.
Singh believed the joint statement was “in line with Pakistan’s narrative” as it did not mention the attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir but referenced armed activities in Balochistan province. The anonymous source, unauthorized to speak to the media, declined to disclose their name.
The Balochistan incident was a hostage-taking incident in March 2025 in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, which resulted in the death of 71 people, including 33 attackers, 30 civilians, and 8 Pakistani armed security personnel. Separatist groups like the Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Pakistan often accuses India of supporting separatist movements in Balochistan, but India has consistently rejected Pakistan’s allegations. These accusations eventually surfaced in the joint statement of the SCO Defense Ministers’ meeting, which was chaired by Pakistan’s ally, China.
Singh urged the SCO to criticize countries that “use cross-border terrorism as a policy tool and provide shelter to terrorists.” He stated that member states should unite to eliminate terrorism and ensure accountability for those who assist such activities, without mentioning Pakistan.
According to a statement from the Indian Ministry of Defense, Singh said, “Peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terrorist organizations. Resolute action is needed to address these challenges.”
Earlier on Thursday, when asked about the joint statement, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defense stated that the meeting “achieved positive outcomes” but did not provide further details.
This was the first joint appearance of senior ministers from India and Pakistan since the conflict in May.
The SCO has become a significant tool for China to expand its political and economic influence into traditionally neutral regions (like India) or regions with close ties to Russia (such as Central Asia).