MEA says lack of consensus on terrorism led to India not signing the joint SCO statement

A joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO), meeting of defence ministers, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, could not be adopted due to a lack of consensus, particularly on the terrorism issue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday (June 26).

Speaking to reporters, MEA spokesperson Randhir JaiswalMEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that at the two-day-long SCO summit, certain member countries were unable to reach a consensus on certain issues and hence a joint statement could not have been issued.

“I understand that they could not adopt a joint statement. I also understand that certain member countries could not reach consensus on certain issues, and hence, the document couldn't be formalised,” added Jaiswal.

Also Read: Rajnath Singh refuses to sign SCO document for skipping mention of Pak-backed terrorism

‘Prominent mention of terrorism’

Elaborating further, he said that India emphasised a prominent mention of terrorism in the joint statement, but it was opposed by a certain country.

“On our side, India wanted concerns on terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country, and therefore the statement could not be issued,” said Jaiswal.

He also said that Singh, during his address at the SCO summit, urged the member countries to unite against terrorism and fight against it in all forms. Jaiswal pointed out that Singh reiterated the significance of holding the “perpetrators, organisers, financers, and sponsors” of terrorism accountable.

Also Read: ‘Some countries use cross-border terrorism…’: Rajnath’s veiled dig at Pak at SCO meet

‘Terrorism epicentres no longer safe’

During the meeting Singh made it clear that India would not hesitate to target the epicentres of terrorism. “The pattern of Pahalgam attack matches with LeT’s previous terror attacks in India. India’s zero tolerance for terrorism was demonstrated through its actions. It 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,” he said.

Also Read: Operation Sindoor not over yet: Rajnath Singh warns Pak against future terror attacks

‘Consequences for terror sponsors’

In an apparent jibe at Pakistan, Singh said that the sponsors of terrorism must face the consequences and there was no room for “double standards” in this regard. He also said that the SCIO should not hesitate to criticise such countries.

“Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terror groups. Dealing with these challenges requires decisive action. It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilise 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,” said Singh.