Epicenters of terrorism are no longer safe, action will continue, said Rajnath Singh at SCO Summit

New Delhi. India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting in China’s port city Qingdao. This is the first visit of a defense minister to China after the serious tension in relations following the military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in May 2020. During this, Rajnath Singh talked about many important issues including terrorism, peace and security. He said, “I believe that the biggest challenges in our region are related to lack of peace, security and trust and the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalism, extremism and terrorism.” Rajnath Singh said, “Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the hands of non-state actors and terrorist groups. These challenges require decisive action and we must unite in our fight against these evils for our collective security.”

He further said, “It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and use terrorism for their narrow and selfish purposes must face the consequences. Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no room for such double standards. The SCO should not hesitate to criticise such countries.”

‘We have shown…’
The Defence Minister further said that India’s zero tolerance towards terrorism is reflected in its actions today. This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We have shown that centers of terrorism are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them.

Rajnath Singh said that we must also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalism among our youth. The RATS mechanism of the SCO has played an important role in this regard. The Joint Statement of the SCO Council of Heads of State on ‘Countering radicalism that fuels terrorism, separatism and extremism’ issued during India’s chairmanship symbolises our shared commitment.

“We must try to counter technology, including drones, used by terrorists to smuggle weapons and drugs across borders. In our interconnected world, traditional borders are no longer just a barrier against threats. Instead, we face a web of challenges that range from international terrorism and cyber attacks to hybrid warfare.”

‘Do not respect national boundaries…’
The Defence Minister said that these threats do not respect national boundaries and require an integrated response based on transparency, mutual trust and cooperation. India reaffirms its resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

“On 22 April 2025, the terrorist group ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) carried out a brutal and heinous attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The victims were shot after being profiled on the basis of religious identity. The Resistance Front, a representative of the UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack.”

Rajnath Singh further said that the world we are living in is undergoing a huge change. Globalisation, which once brought us closer to each other, is now losing its speed. The weakening of multilateral systems has made it difficult to address urgent challenges, from maintaining peace and security to rebuilding economies after the pandemic. India believes that reformed multilateralism can help build cooperation to prevent conflict among countries by creating mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation.

Rajnath Singh said, “No country, no matter how big and powerful, can act alone. In fact, the basic idea of ​​global order or multilateralism is the notion that nations should work together with each other for their mutual and collective benefit. It also reflects our age-old Sanskrit proverb ‘Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu’, which means peace and prosperity for all.”