India’s Diplomatic Stand at SCO 2025: Why Rajnath Singh Refused to Sign the Joint Statement

 SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting 2025: India's Assertive Diplomacy and Regional Security Dynamics

"SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting 2025: This visual represents the complex geopolitical landscape of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The image highlights the SCO logo, member flags, and a map of Eurasia, symbolizing the delicate balance of diplomacy, regional security, and competing national interests that define the bloc's dynamics."

 

Executive Summary: India’s Firm Stance on Terrorism

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting, held in Qingdao, China, in June 2025, marked a pivotal moment in regional diplomacy. The meeting was primarily defined by India's assertive and unwavering stance on counter-terrorism.

India's Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, notably refused to sign the joint statement, citing its failure to condemn the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and its broader omission of terrorism concerns. This decision underscored India's unwavering commitment to a zero-tolerance policy on terrorism and its steadfast adherence to the doctrine of strategic autonomy.

Preceding this diplomatic stand, India launched Operation Sindoor, a comprehensive, multi-domain military response designed to dismantle terror infrastructure following the Pahalgam attack. On the sidelines of the meeting, India engaged in crucial bilateral discussions, particularly with Russia, reinforcing critical defence cooperation, and with China, addressing persistent border disputes. These engagements collectively illustrate India's multifaceted foreign policy, balancing principled positions with pragmatic diplomacy in a complex geopolitical landscape.

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SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting 2025: A Geopolitical Overview

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a prominent regional grouping, initially established by China and Russia to counter U.S. influence across Asia. A foundational mandate of the organization is to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism. This core purpose becomes particularly relevant when examining the controversies that arose during the 2025 Defence Ministers' Meeting.

With ten full member states, including key regional players such as China, India, Russia, and Pakistan, the SCO's diverse composition frequently gives rise to intricate internal dynamics and competing national interests.

China, holding the rotating SCO presidency for 2025, hosted the session in Qingdao. Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun’s keynote address critically assessed the rise of unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonic practices, rhetoric often interpreted as a direct critique of the U.S. and its allies.

The SCO’s Double Standards on Terrorism

A notable contradiction, however, emerged between the SCO's foundational objective of combating terrorism and its practical inability to achieve consensus on this core issue. Despite its stated purpose, the joint statement from the meeting conspicuously omitted any reference to terrorism, a decision attributed to the objection of a particular member state (Pakistan). This divergence highlights a significant internal tension.

The increasing dominance of China within the SCO, particularly as Russia remains preoccupied with the conflict in Ukraine, appears to influence the organization's agenda, potentially aligning the SCO with specific bilateral alliances, such as that between China and Pakistan. This suggests that while the SCO presents a united front against perceived external influences, it struggles with internal cohesion on sensitive security matters.

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India’s Principled Stand: A Diplomatic Watershed Moment

India's participation was defined by its firm and principled refusal to endorse the joint statement, a decision rooted in a recent and grave terror incident on its soil.

The Pahalgam Terror Attack (April 22, 2025): A Detailed Account

On April 22, 2025, a horrific terror attack transpired in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. This brutal incident resulted in the deaths of at least 26 Indian tourists, predominantly Hindu, and left more than 20 others injured. Eyewitness testimonies revealed that assailants reportedly questioned victims about their religious identity before opening fire, suggesting a deliberate attempt to incite communal discord.

The attack was initially claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the UN-designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India unequivocally blamed Pakistan for backing the gunmen responsible, and the attack marked one of the deadliest against Indian civilians in the region since 2000, significantly escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.

Analysis of India’s Refusal to Sign the Joint Statement

The most significant event was Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's decision to decline signing the joint statement. The primary and non-negotiable reason was the explicit omission of any reference to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. India’s Foreign Ministry spokesman confirmed that a reference to terrorism was "not acceptable to one particular country," leading to the non-adoption of a joint statement.

Rajnath Singh specifically alleged that the statement "suited Pakistan’s narrative" because it mentioned militant activities in Balochistan but conspicuously failed to include the Pahalgam attack. In his address, Singh urged SCO members to unite against terrorism, emphasizing that "peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism" and that there should be "no place for double standards."

The Doctrine of Strategic Autonomy: A Cornerstone of India’s Foreign Policy

India’s unwavering refusal to compromise reflects its deeply entrenched "zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism." This "bold move" was a significant diplomatic statement, sending "ripples across the geopolitical landscape" and highlighting India's commitment to strategic autonomy. Strategic autonomy enables India to make independent choices based solely on its national interests, engaging with various blocs without being constrained by rigid alliance structures.

This indicates that India is increasingly willing to be a "spoiler" if multilateral outcomes contradict its fundamental interests. This bold move could set a precedent for other nations to assert their national interests more forcefully.

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Implications for Consensus-Based Multilateralism within SCO

The incident starkly highlighted the "limitations of consensus-based decision-making" when dealing with sensitive security issues. A key challenge arises when member states apply "different criteria for what constitutes terrorism," making collective action complex. The diplomatic standoff demonstrated how unresolved bilateral issues, particularly the deep-seated India-Pakistan conflict and China's close alliance with Pakistan, can derail multilateral cooperation.

The SCO’s primary objective is to combat terrorism, yet its failure to adopt a joint statement because "one country" objected exposes a critical, inherent flaw. This demonstrates that the organization's counter-terrorism mandate is fundamentally compromised by the geopolitical alliances of its powerful members.

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Operation Sindoor: India’s Assertive Counter-Terrorism Paradigm

India’s diplomatic stand at the SCO meeting was underpinned by a significant military operation, Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Genesis and Strategic Objectives

Operation Sindoor was formally initiated on May 7, 2025, as India's direct and decisive response. Its strategic conception was a "punitive and targeted campaign" designed to "dismantle the terror infrastructure across the Line of Control and deeper inside Pakistan." Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong message was clear: "epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe, we will not hesitate to target them."

This signifies a clear and deliberate shift in India's military doctrine from a largely reactive defensive posture to a more proactive, pre-emptive, and deterrent-oriented strategy, aiming to raise the cost for state-sponsored terrorism.

Multi-Domain Execution: A Comprehensive Review

Operation Sindoor was a "calibrated, tri-services response" executed seamlessly across land, air, and sea domains, showcasing inter-service synergy.

• Indian Air Force (IAF): Delivered precision strikes against terror infrastructure, including high-impact air operations on key airbases.

• Indian Army: Conducted joint cordon and search operations, thwarted infiltration attempts, and neutralized key militant commanders.

• Indian Navy: Asserted maritime dominance by deploying its Carrier Battle Group, ensuring persistent surveillance.

• Border Security Force (BSF): Played a critical role in thwarting a major infiltration attempt along the International Border.

This multi-domain and integrated approach suggests that India has significantly matured its defense capabilities beyond traditional warfare.

Impact and Outcomes: Assessment of its Effectiveness

Operation Sindoor was hailed as a "significant demonstration of India's military and strategic power," effectively neutralizing terrorist threats and deterring Pakistani aggression. It successfully "firmly enforced India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism" and "reaffirmed India’s regional dominance."

Pakistan’s Response and India’s Integrated Air Defense

In the aftermath, Pakistan initiated a series of retaliatory drone attacks, which were "effectively neutralised by India’s comprehensive and multilayered air defence architecture."

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Bilateral Engagements on the Sidelines: Reinforcing Strategic Partnerships

While the multilateral statement faced an impasse, India actively pursued crucial bilateral engagements on the sidelines, showcasing its multi-faceted foreign policy.

Counterpart Nation	Key Discussions	Strategic Outcome/Significance
Russia	Geopolitical situations, counter-terrorism, defence cooperation (S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades), solidarity on Pahalgam terror attack.	Reinforces critical defence ties and ensures continued supply of advanced military hardware.
China	Trust deficit post-2020 standoff, need to maintain peace along LAC, roadmap for de-escalation and border management.	Demonstrates commitment to dialogue despite tensions and manages a complex rivalry through established mechanisms.
Belarus, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan	Military-technical cooperation, training, India’s defence self-reliance and indigenous production.	Expands defence collaboration with Central Asian partners and promotes India's growing defence industry.

India-Russia Defence Cooperation

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a significant bilateral meeting with Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov. The Russian Defence Minister expressed strong "solidarity with India on the horrendous and cowardly terrorist act of 22nd April in Pahalgham," a direct contrast to the SCO's collective silence. Discussions covered the supply of S-400 air defence systems and upgrades for Su-30 MKI fighter jets.

India-China Bilateral Dialogue

Despite broader tensions, Rajnath Singh also met with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun. Singh directly raised the "prevalent trust deficit" from the 2020 standoff, emphasizing the need to maintain peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Conclusion: A Case Study in Multi-Vector Diplomacy

India's actions at the SCO meeting present a clear case study of multi-vector diplomacy. On one hand, India took a strong principled stand by refusing to sign the joint statement. On the other, it actively engaged in crucial bilateral meetings with both its strategic ally, Russia, and its strategic rival, China. This pragmatic approach allows India to maintain its strategic autonomy while securing vital national interests like defence procurement and border stability.

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Broader Geopolitical Implications and Future Trajectories

The SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting in 2025, particularly India's assertive actions, carries significant implications for regional security and India's evolving role on the global stage.

The Shifting Power Dynamics within SCO: China's Increasing Influence and Russia's Preoccupation

The SCO meeting in Qingdao underscored a significant shift in the organization's internal power dynamics. China has increasingly taken over the reins, hosting summits and staging joint drills, while Russia remains deeply embroiled in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and faces international isolation. This "increasing dominance" by China raises pertinent questions about the SCO's long-term utility for Indian interests. India initially joined the organization with strategic objectives, including building ties with Central Asian states and potentially countering China's influence. The emphasis by Pakistan's defence minister on "Chinese backing in maintaining regional stability" further highlights the strengthening China-Pakistan axis within the SCO, which can complicate consensus on issues sensitive to India.

The fundamental inability of the SCO, an organization with a core mandate to combat terrorism, to agree on a basic condemnation of a major terror attack (Pahalgam) or even a general reference to terrorism due to internal political alignments (specifically the China-Pakistan axis) significantly undermines its credibility and potential for genuine collective security action. This suggests that the SCO is increasingly likely to function as a forum for bilateral engagements and a platform for anti-Western rhetoric, rather than a truly unified security bloc capable of effectively addressing common threats like terrorism. For India, and potentially other members, the SCO's relevance as a collective security mechanism is diminishing, pushing members to rely more on bilateral or smaller, like-minded groupings for security cooperation.

Challenges to Collective Counter-Terrorism Efforts: Divergent Definitions and Political Will

The failure to adopt a joint statement due to one country's objection to mentioning terrorism explicitly revealed that "genuine cooperation requires shared definitions and standards for addressing terrorism". The incident demonstrated that when member states apply different criteria for what constitutes terrorism—or when political expediency overrides principles—collective action becomes inherently complex and often impossible. The standoff reinforced the critical lesson that in an interconnected world facing common threats like terrorism, "genuine cooperation requires shared principles and mutual respect, values that cannot be compromised".

The direct connection between the India-Pakistan bilateral conflict, particularly around the issue of cross-border terrorism, and the paralysis of the SCO's multilateral function (failure to adopt a joint statement) is a critical observation. This illustrates a broader phenomenon where unresolved, deep-seated bilateral disputes between influential member states can cripple the effectiveness of multilateral organizations, especially those operating on consensus. Such dynamics not only prevent collective action on pressing issues but also exacerbate existing tensions, turning multilateral forums into arenas for bilateral score-settling rather than platforms for genuine cooperation. This highlights that regional stability is contingent not just on the existence of collective frameworks but also on the willingness of individual states to address core bilateral grievances constructively.

India's Evolving Role in Regional Security Architecture

India's firm stance at the SCO 2025 meeting is poised to be remembered as a "defining moment in India's diplomatic history". It served as a powerful demonstration of the country's unwavering commitment to combating terrorism and its steadfast adherence to the doctrine of strategic autonomy. Moving forward, India may adopt a "more selective approach to SCO engagement," prioritizing active participation in areas where it can achieve concrete benefits while steadfastly maintaining principled positions on core security issues. This "proactive defence diplomacy" and India's "pivotal role within the SCO framework" are increasingly evident amidst the evolving and complex geopolitical landscape.

India's capacity to simultaneously challenge the SCO's consensus on terrorism, engage deeply with Russia for critical defence needs, and maintain dialogue to manage complex border issues with China demonstrates a highly sophisticated and effective application of strategic autonomy. This is not merely non-alignment but active, independent navigation of complex geopolitical currents. In an increasingly multi-polar and fragmented global order, India is not seeking to align exclusively with any single bloc. Instead, it aims to maximize its national interests by independently forging and maintaining diverse relationships, even if they appear contradictory. This position enhances its diplomatic leverage and allows it to maintain flexibility in its foreign policy, positioning it as a significant and independent actor on the global stage.

Outlook for India-Pakistan and India-China Relations Post-SCO 2025

India-Pakistan: The Pahalgam attack and India's subsequent Operation Sindoor escalated tensions, leading to the most serious military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations in decades. The diplomatic standoff at SCO further underscores the deep-seated mistrust and India's resolute unwillingness to compromise on issues related to cross-border terrorism. Pakistan continues to deny backing militants and accuses India of supporting Balochistan separatists.

India-China: Despite decades-old border disputes and China's strong alliance with Pakistan, bilateral dialogue on Line of Actual Control (LAC) issues continues. India's objective is to manage differences, enhance communication, and build mutual trust. The meeting highlighted India's pragmatic engagement with China within multilateral frameworks, seeking stability while addressing core concerns.

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Conclusion and Strategic Recommendations

The SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao in 2025 unequivocally highlighted India's assertive and principled stance on counter-terrorism, driven by its unwavering zero-tolerance policy and its commitment to strategic autonomy. The refusal to sign the joint statement, a direct consequence of the omission of the Pahalgam terror attack and broader terrorism concerns, underscored India's resolve to prioritize national security principles over multilateral consensus when fundamental disagreements persist. This diplomatic assertion was preceded by Operation Sindoor, a powerful demonstration of India's proactive, multi-domain counter-terrorism capabilities, signaling a shift in its response paradigm. Concurrently, India leveraged the SCO platform for crucial bilateral engagements, particularly with Russia for defence modernization and with China for managing complex border issues. These dynamics reveal the intricate interplay of multilateral aspirations and persistent bilateral interests within the SCO, ultimately positioning India as a crucial, independent, and increasingly assertive actor shaping the regional security architecture.

Based on this analysis, the following strategic recommendations are put forth:

• For India's Engagement with SCO: India should continue a highly selective engagement strategy with the SCO. This involves focusing on areas where concrete benefits can be achieved, such as intelligence sharing through the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) where genuinely effective, and leveraging the platform for crucial bilateral defence and security cooperation. Simultaneously, India must maintain its firm, principled stance against any attempts to dilute counter-terrorism narratives or to use the organization to serve other nations' narrow geopolitical agendas that contradict India's core interests.

• For Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation: There is an urgent need for international forums and organizations to establish universally agreed-upon definitions of terrorism and robust mechanisms for holding state and non-state actors accountable. This calls for a move beyond political expediency and selective condemnation, fostering genuine, unbiased cooperation against terrorism.

• For Regional Stability (India-China): Sustained and structured bilateral dialogues between India and China are essential to effectively manage border issues and prevent escalation. Recognizing the critical importance of established de-escalation mechanisms and communication channels is paramount to maintaining peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control.

• For India's Defense Preparedness: Continued and strategic investment in multi-domain defence capabilities, including air defence, cyber warfare, and naval projection, is crucial. Concurrently, strengthening strategic communication and information warfare capabilities is vital to effectively deter and respond to evolving security threats, including hybrid warfare and cross-border terrorism.

• For Strategic Autonomy: Reinforcing the long-term value of India's independent foreign policy is key to navigating an increasingly complex and multi-polar global landscape. This approach allows India to forge diverse partnerships based on its national interests and strategic imperatives, rather than being constrained by rigid ideological alignments or bloc-based diplomacy.

   

  
  

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