India faced a major diplomatic setback at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting held in Qingdao, China. The tension arose when India refused to sign a joint statement supported by all other member countries, including China, Russia, and Iran.
The joint communiqué mentioned terrorist activities in Balochistan but did not include the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, India. Due to this omission, India chose not to endorse the statement, arguing that it did not reflect the full picture of regional terrorism.
All other SCO member states approved the statement, leaving India alone in its disagreement. The incident highlighted growing differences within the organization, especially regarding how terrorism is addressed and which incidents are acknowledged.
India believes that all acts of terrorism—regardless of the location—should be equally condemned. Its officials were disappointed that the Pahalgam attack, which claimed several lives, was not even mentioned in the final document.
The SCO is a major regional bloc focused on cooperation in security, defence, and counterterrorism. However, this event has shown that member countries sometimes have conflicting views on sensitive issues like cross-border violence and regional politics.
India’s decision to reject the document could create challenges for future cooperation within the group. It also raises concerns about whether the SCO can maintain unity when key members hold different views on serious matters like terrorism.
