Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said there could be no justification for terrorism or double standards in tackling it at the SCO meeting in Dushanbe.
Singh called for collective action to dismantle the ecosystem of terrorism, including those who finance or support terrorists and provide them safe havens.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was present at the meeting as Singh reiterated India’s position on terrorism.
‘No Justification For Terrorism, No Double Standards’: Rajnath Singh At SCO Meet
Speaking at the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Singh called for collective action against terrorism and those who finance, support or provide safe havens to terrorists, with Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar present
Summary
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said there can be no justification for terrorism or for double standards in tackling it at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe on Tuesday. Singh was speaking as India’s representative in Tajikistan’s capital, and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was nearby.
Singh described terrorism as “one of the gravest threats to development” and said it hurts lives and business activity. “Terrorism radicalises societies and keeps our youth devoid of opportunities that they deserve,” Singh said.
Dar sat opposite Singh during the speech. Pakistan’s foreign ministry also posted footage of the session, with Singh and Dar visible at the same table, reported Hindustan Times.
Singh then said, “So, there can be no justification for terrorism. There can be no double standards in tackling it. There can be no space for people who finance and support terrorists or provide them a safe haven. The entire ecosystem of terrorism should be ended strongly and collectively,” Singh said at the SCO session in Dushanbe.
India’s SCO Position
In September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged SCO members to jointly dismantle what he called the entire “ecosystem of terrorism”. He delivered that message at an SCO gathering that included Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian and others.
“We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens,” Modi said.
India accuses Pakistan’s government and army of supporting and harbouring terrorism. New Delhi says terrorism cannot be separated from those it believes shelter it.
Two weeks after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack killed 26 people, India launched Operation Sindoor against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation, followed by a military clash, left Pakistan with heavy military losses.
“While India believes in tourism, Pakistan considers terrorism as tourism, which is very dangerous for the world,” Modi said days after the cessation of hostilities was announced. Singh is in Tajikistan for a two-day official visit, where he is representing India at the council’s government meeting.
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Singh received a ceremonial welcome when he arrived at Dushanbe airport. Tajikistan’s Defence Minister Emomali Sobirzoda and Sherali Jonon from the foreign ministry greeted him, reported PTI.
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