‘One Country Opposed Terror Reference’: Jaishankar Supports Rajnath’s Stand at SCO

Jaishankar Backs Rajnath’s SCO Stand, Blames One Country for Blocking Terror Reference.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday supported Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s refusal to sign the joint communique at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ meeting, stating that one member nation objected to any reference to terrorism in the final document.

“When the main purpose of the organisation is to fight terrorism, and you are not allowing a reference to that… he [Rajnath Singh] expressed his unwillingness to accept it,” Jaishankar said, in remarks carried by ANI. He did not name the country, but added, “You can guess which one,” in a thinly veiled reference to Pakistan.

The communique, which required unanimous consent from SCO members, omitted any mention of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that left 26 dead—mostly tourists. India objected to this exclusion, especially as the draft included a reference to a March 11 hijacking of Pakistan’s Jaffar Express by the Balochistan Liberation Army, seen by India as a deliberate attempt by Pakistan to deflect attention.

As a result, India declined to endorse the final statement, effectively blocking its release.

Speaking at the meeting in Qingdao, China, Rajnath Singh condemned cross-border terrorism and called for accountability for those who sponsor or finance such activities. “Some countries use terrorism as an instrument of state policy. The SCO must not hesitate to call out such double standards,” he said.

Singh also highlighted India’s recent military operation—Operation Sindoor—which targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attack. He said the strike was in line with India’s policy of zero tolerance for terrorism and pointed to similarities between the Pahalgam attack and previous Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) assaults.

Jaishankar reiterated that the SCO operates by consensus and that India stood firm on its principles. “SCO runs with unanimity. Rajnath ji made it clear—no mention of terrorism, no signature from India.”

The impasse at the SCO meeting marked a rare instance of failure to issue a joint communique, reflecting deep divides among member states over how to address terrorism.