Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) members to unequivocally condemn the evil and dastardly Pahalgam terror attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and said that any act of terrorism is “criminal and unjustifiable.” During his address at the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in China’s Qingdao, Defence Minister Singh recalled the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists were killed by ‘The Resistance Front’, an offshoot of the Pakistan-based UN-designated terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba. He said the pattern of the attack mirrored previous strikes by LeT in India.
“In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-empt as well as deter further cross-border terrorist attacks, India on May 7, 2025, successfully launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ to dismantle cross-border terrorist infrastructure,” he said. “We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organisers, 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,” Rajnath added.
He also called for 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. “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 radicalisation, extremism and terrorism,” he said.
“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,” he said, stressing that only a collective and resolute stand can ensure safety and security for all. Rajnath warned that nations using cross-border terrorism as a tool of State policy must face 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,” he asserted.
Reiterating India’s zero tolerance towards terrorism, he said, “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.” Highlighting the need for global action to prevent the radicalisation of youth, Defence Minister Singh said the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) has played a key role in coordinating counter-radicalisation efforts.
