Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlights terrorism's threat to world at SCO meeting in China

Qingdao [China], June 26 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has condemned terrorism at a meeting on Thursday of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in China's Qingdao, emphasizing the need to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of terrorist acts accountable and bring them to justice.

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"We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism, including cross border terrorism accountable and bring them to justice. Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever and by whomever committed. SCO members must condemn this evil unequivocally," said Rajnath Singh.

He highlighted the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which was carried out by 'The Resistance Front' (TRF), a proxy of the UN-designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

"On 22 April 2025, the terror group 'The Resistance Front' (TRF) carried out a dastardly and heinous attack on innocent tourists at Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. 26 innocent civilans, including a Nepali national, were killed. Victims were shot at after they were profiled based on religious identity. The Resistance Front which is a proxy of UN designated terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claimed responsibility for the attack," added Singh.

He said that India successfully launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, to dismant cross-border terrorist infrastructure.

"The pattern of Pahalgam terror attack matches with LeT's previous terror attacks in India. In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross border terrorist attacks, India on 07th May 2025 successfully launched Op Sindoor to dismantle cross border terrorist infrastructure," said Singh.

At the SCO meeting, the Defence Minister reaffirmed India's resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, adding that terrorism is a transnational threat that demands a unified response from nations.

"These threats do not respect national boundaries, and they demand a unified response rooted in transparency, mutual trust, and collaboration."

He emphasised the need to counter the technology used by terrorists, including drones, for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs. The Minister highlighted the complexity of modern threats, which include transnational terrorism, cyber-attacks, and hybrid warfare.

"We should seek to counter the technology used by terrorists, including drones, for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs. In our interconnected world, traditional borders are no longer the sole barriers against threats. Instead, we face an intricate web of challenges that range from transnational terrorism and cyber-attacks to hybrid warfare," said Singh.

He emphasised the need for proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalization among youth. The Minister highlighted the significant role played by the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) mechanism of the SCO in this regard.

"We should also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalization among our youth. The RATS mechanism of SCO has played a significant role in this regard. The joint statement of the Council of SCO Heads of State on 'Countering Radicalization leading to Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism' issued during India's Chairmanship symbolises our shared commitment," added Singh.

He highlighted India's proactive approach to defending itself against terrorist threats and emphasised that India will not hesitate to target epicentres of terrorism, ensuring that those who sponsor and perpetrate terrorism are held accountable.

"India's zero tolerance for terrorism is manifest today through its actions. This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We have shown that epicentres of terrorism are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them," added Rajnath Singh.

He emphasised the need for countries that sponsor, nurture, and utilize terrorism for their own interests to be held accountable for their actions and criticized the practice of using cross-border terrorism as a policy tool and providing shelter to terrorists, calling for an end to such double standards.

"It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilize terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences. 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," added Singh.

He said that peace and prosperity are incompatible with terrorism and the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups.

"Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups. Dealing with these challenges require decisive action and we must unite in our fight against these evils for our collective safety and security," said Singh.

The Defence Minister identified the biggest challenges facing the region as peace, security, and trust-deficit issues. According to him, these problems are primarily caused by increasing radicalization, extremism, and terrorism.

"I believe that the biggest challenges that we are facing in our region are related to peace, security and trust-deficit. And the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalization, extremism and terrorism," added Singh.

The SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting is being held from June 25 to 26 in Qingdao, bringing together defence leaders from member states including India, China, Russia, and several Central Asian nations to discuss issues related to regional and international peace and security.

At the SCO meeting, Rajnath Singh also welcomed Belarus, which joined the SCO family as a new member.

The SCO, established in 2001, is an intergovernmental organisation aimed at promoting regional stability and security through cooperation and dialogue. India became a full member in 2017 and held the rotating Chairmanship in 2023. China has assumed the Chair for 2025 under the theme 'Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.' (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)