'One Country Did Not Want Reference': Jaishankar Slams Pakistan, Backs Rajnath Singh's SCO Stand

Last Updated:June 27, 2025, 12:16 IST

Jaishankar defended India’s stance of not signing the joint SCO document, stating terrorism cannot be sidelined in an organisation founded to combat it.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addresses a press conference in New Delhi (Photo: PTI)

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday slammed Pakistan, in reference to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refusing to sign a joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in China.

Commenting on the development, Jaishankar, referring to Pakistan, said there was one country that did not want a reference to terrorism in the joint SCO document.

“The SCO was formed with the objective of fighting terrorism. When Rajnath Singh went to the Defence Ministers’ Meeting and there was a discussion on the outcome document, one country said they do not want a reference to that, the External Affairs Minister said.

“Rajnath Singh’s view rightly was, without that reference, that when the main purpose of the organisation is to fight terrorism, and you are not allowing a reference to that, he expressed his unwillingness to accept," he added.

“The SCO runs with unanimity. So Rajnath ji clearly said that if there is no mention of terrorism in the statement, we will not sign it," Jaishankar said, as he spoke in New Delhi on the 50 years of the imposition of the Emergency in India.

On Thursday, Rajnath Singh had refused to sign a joint declaration as it did not have any mention of the dastardly April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, but mentioned incidents in Pakistan.

According to government sources, the Defence Minister did not sign the SCO document as India was not satisfied with the language of the joint document.

Addressing the Defence Ministers’ Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in China’s Qingdao, Rajnath Singh said that there should be no place for double standards regarding terrorism, and member countries of the bloc should not hesitate to criticise nations that indulge in such actions.

In his remarks at the meeting, Singh called on members of the SCO to take united and decisive action against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the possession of non-state actors and terrorist groups.

Without explicitly naming Pakistan, Singh noted that peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism.

Singh arrived in Qingdao on Wednesday evening to attend the SCO conclave.

Besides India and China, the SCO comprises Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

ALSO READ | ‘Never Take Freedom For Granted’: Jaishankar Slams Gandhi Family For Emergency

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

Location :

First Published:

News india 'One Country Didn't Want Reference': Jaishankar Slams Pakistan, Backs Rajnath Singh's SCO Stand