India working to include strong condemnation of terrorism in SCO leaders’ declaration: MEA

New Delhi, Aug 26 (UNI) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to visit China for the 25th SCO Summit this week, India is working with members and partners of the grouping to see that the leaders’ joint declaration includes a strong condemnation of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, a top official said.

“The declaration for the 25th SCO summit is under finalisation. On the text, we are working with members and partners to see that there should be a strong condemnation of terrorism, including cross border terrorism. The text is under finalisation,” said Tanmaya Lal, Secretary West, MEA, at a special briefing today ahead of the PM’s visit to Japan and China from Aug 29-Sep 1.

The statement comes amid the backdrop of the June 2025 SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in China when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the joint declaration as it did not mention the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s concerns about cross-border terrorism, but had included militant activities in Balochistan.

EAM Jaishankar had said later that India had wanted a reference to terrorism in the outcome document of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting, but it was not acceptable to “one member country”, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

While attending the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tianjin in July, EAM Jaishankar had called on the SCO to strongly condemn terrorism, including cross-border terrorism.

However, since then, there has been a distinct warming of relations between India and China, especially in the wake of the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Delhi on August 18-19, that saw both sides agree on measures to take forward resolution of the boundary question, as well as resume trade and connectivity ties.

During Wang Yi’s visit to New Delhi, “India strongly raised the issue of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, recalling that one of the original objectives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), whose summit will be held later this month in China, was to counter the evil of terrorism. Minister Wang Yi concurred that countering terrorism should be given the highest priority”, an MEA statement said.

Following the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, India has been trying to reach out to global partners on the issue of condemning terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism.

A strong reference to terrorism, especially cross-border terrorism, in the leaders’ declaration at the Tianjin SCO Summit will be a validation of India’s position, especially as the summit is set to see the presence of Pakistan, an SCO member.

 

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