On June 24, 2025, India made a bold move during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, by opting not to sign the joint communique released by the group.
While this decision is somewhat rare in the world of multilateral diplomacy, it reflects India’s strong stance against terrorism and its concerns over the selective handling of terror incidents by certain SCO member states, especially China and Pakistan.
This situation carries important consequences for India’s foreign policy, its ongoing battle against cross-border terrorism, and the role of regional organizations like the SCO in today’s complex geopolitical environment.
Omission of The Pahalgam Terror Attack
The immediate trigger for India’s protest was the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, where 26 civilians lost their lives in an assault orchestrated by Pakistan-based terrorist groups, including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, a precision military operation targeting terror infrastructure across the Line of Control (LoC).
India, as a key member of SCO, sought to include a reference condemning the Pahalgam attack in the joint declaration. However, the final draft excluded any such mention, while incorporating references to terror incidents in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, allegedly perpetrated by foreign-backed actors.
India’s Objection: Principle Over Consensus
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who represented India at the meet, refused to endorse the statement, citing it as biased, politically motivated, and diplomatically untenable. He stated that India could not be part of a declaration that deliberately ignored Indian concerns while amplifying those of Pakistan.
India’s decision effectively blocked the adoption of the joint statement, as the SCO functions on the principle of consensus.
SCO and Its Internal Contradictions
The SCO, formed in 2001, is a regional political and security grouping comprising China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Central Asian countries. It claims to prioritize regional security, counterterrorism, and multilateral cooperation. However, this incident exposes key contradictions:
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Double Standards: The refusal to mention the Pahalgam attack while highlighting Balochistan reflects a selective approach to terrorism, undermining the SCO’s credibility.
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Geopolitical Rivalries: Deep-seated India-Pakistan tensions and growing mistrust between India and China have limited the cohesion of the grouping.
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Instrumentalisation of Platforms: Pakistan, with China’s support, is seen as using the SCO to internationalize its grievances, while blocking India’s legitimate security concerns.
What is the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional group formed to promote peace, security, and cooperation among its member countries, especially in areas like terrorism, trade, and culture. It was founded on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai, China, and its headquarters is in Beijing, China.
The SCO has nine member countries: India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran (which became a full member in 2023).
The SCO holds regular meetings such as the Council of Heads of State (annually) and the Council of Heads of Government, along with ministerial and expert-level meetings. The last SCO summit in 2024 was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, where leaders from all member states participated, including Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, who represented India. The meeting focused on security, connectivity, trade, and regional cooperation.
How to remember the list of Countries in SCO
Remember: I will kick you on the trip: KICK U TRIP
Kazakhstan – India – China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan – Tajikistan – Russia – Iran – Pakistan
Was India always a part of SCO?
No, India was not always a part of the SCO.
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The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was originally formed in 2001 by six founding members:
China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. -
India joined the SCO as a full member in 2017, along with Pakistan.
Both were previously observer states before being granted full membership.
So, India became a full member of SCO in 2017, not at the time of its founding.
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