India has refused to sign a joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China as it did not reflect the country's concerns on terrorism, India's foreign ministry has said. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswalsaidon Thursday that India's desire for its concerns to be reflected was "not acceptable to one particular country". While he did not share more details, Indian media reported that Delhi refused to sign the statement after it omitted the Pahalgam attack, a deadly militant attack that killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir. India has blamed its neighbour Pakistan for sheltering a militant group it blames for the attack. Pakistan has rejected the allegations. China, Russia and four Central Asian countries formed the SCO in 2001 as a countermeasure to limit the influence of the West in the region. India and Pakistan joined in 2017. The latest signing ceremony took place during the SCO defence ministers' meeting in China, held ahead of the leaders' annual summit this autumn. According to media reports, India perceived the joint statement as being "pro-Pakistan" after it omitted the Pahalgam attack but mentioned militant activities in Balochistan. Pakistan has accused India of backing the Balochistan freedom movement, which India denies. After the meeting, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged the SCO to hold the perpetrators of cross-border terrorism accountable, though he didn't explicitly mention Pakistan. "Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations," he said in astatement. India and Pakistan have fought three wars over Kashmir, which they claim to own in full but administer in parts. The Pahalgam attack in April brought the two nuclear-armed countries to the brink of another war. In May, India launched a series of airstrikes, targeting sites it called "terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir". Pakistan denied the claim that these were terror camps and also responded by firing missiles and deploying drones into Indian territory. The hostilities between the two countries continued until 10 May when US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire", brokered by the US. India has, however, consistently denied any intervention by the US.
India refuses to sign joint statement at defence summit over Kashmir
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"India Declines to Endorse Joint Statement at SCO Summit Over Terrorism Concerns"
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TruthLens AI Summary
India's decision to abstain from signing a joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China stems from its dissatisfaction with the omission of key concerns regarding terrorism. The Indian foreign ministry, represented by spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, indicated that the joint statement did not address India's apprehensions about terrorism adequately, particularly in light of a recent attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists. This incident has strained relations between India and Pakistan, with India accusing Pakistan of harboring the militant group responsible for the attack. Pakistan, on the other hand, has refuted these claims, leading to heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. The joint statement was perceived by India as biased towards Pakistan, especially since it highlighted militant activities in Balochistan while neglecting the Pahalgam attack, which India views as a significant terrorist act that warrants international acknowledgment and condemnation.
During the SCO defence ministers' meeting, India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh voiced concerns about cross-border terrorism and urged the organization to hold accountable those nations that support such activities. While he did not specifically name Pakistan, his remarks reflect India's longstanding grievances regarding the use of terrorism as an instrument of policy by certain countries. The historical context of India and Pakistan's conflict over Kashmir, including three wars and ongoing hostilities, underscores the sensitivity of the situation. The recent Pahalgam attack has exacerbated these tensions, pushing both countries closer to the brink of conflict. Following a series of airstrikes by India targeting what it labeled as terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, there was a temporary cessation of hostilities mediated by the United States. Nevertheless, India remains firm in its stance against any perceived intervention by external parties, emphasizing the importance of addressing terrorism directly and holding responsible those who perpetuate it.
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