Page 6 - The Indian EYE 070425

EYE ON INDIA JULY 04, 2025 | The Indian Eye 6

India Takes Bold Stand on Terrorism

Amid Growing Role in SCO Affairs

From rejecting soft language on terror to deepening strategic ties with Russia and cautiously thawing relations with

China, India is asserting itself as a key player in the evolving dynamics of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

OUR BUREAU
Qingdao/New Delhi
ndia is charting a decisive and assertive path at
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO),
Ia Eurasian political and security bloc that in-
creasingly reflects the shifting balance of power in
the region. In recent high-level meetings in China,
India signaled not just its rising diplomatic heft but
also its refusal to accommodate ambiguity on ter-
rorism—particularly when veiled references protect
known offenders.
At the SCO Defense Ministers’ meeting in Qin-
gdao, India took the unprecedented step of refusing
to sign the joint declaration, citing the absence of
language acknowledging its core concern: terrorism.
“There should be no double standards,” De-
fense Minister Rajnath Singh declared, emphasiz-
ing that terrorism and peace cannot coexist. India’s
specific demand to mention the April 22 Pahalgam
attack in Jammu & Kashmir was blocked—report-
edly by Pakistan—leading India to withhold its en-
dorsement of the final communiqué.
This moment underscored India’s zero-toler-
ance policy on terrorism and its demand for clear,
unequivocal condemnation of acts of violence, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in a group photograph with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong and other participating
particularly those perpetrated by cross-border ter-
ror networks. “Some countries use terrorism as leaders ahead of the official proceedings of the SCO Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao, China, on Thursday (ANI)
an instrument of state policy,” Singh said, without
naming Pakistan directly. “They must bear the con- The Russian side reaffirmed its commitment to terrorism alone. Rajnath Singh used the platform to
sequences.” the India-Russia “Special and Privileged Strategic call for greater connectivity in Central Asia, under-
Pakistan’s stance at the SCO remains a com- Partnership” and expressed eagerness to host Doval scoring India’s intent to build economic and strate-
plicating factor for India and the organization at for the next round of Strategic Dialogue. The meet- gic bridges across the Eurasian landmass.
large. Islamabad’s repeated refusal to acknowledge ings emphasized coordination on regional security, India also highlighted the importance of coun-
terrorism in its many forms—and its history of pro- multilateral cooperation, and continued defense tering radicalization through mechanisms like
viding safe havens to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba collaboration, reflecting shared interests even as SCO-RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure) and
and Jaish-e-Mohammed—continues to strain re- global geopolitics shifts in unpredictable ways. proposed enhanced cooperation in areas like cyberse-
gional consensus. At Qingdao, India reiterated that India’s ties with Russia also serve as a crucial curity, drone regulation, and infrastructure security.
it would no longer accept generic or diluted refer- stabilizer within the SCO, where the West’s influ- “Global challenges do not respect borders,”
ences to terrorism in SCO documents. ence is limited but where intra-group competition— Singh said. “They require a unified response rooted
India’s launch of Operation Sindoor following particularly between China and India—needs care- in transparency, mutual trust, and cooperation.”
the Pahalgam attack was a direct signal to Pakistan. ful navigation. India’s performance at the 2025 SCO summit
The operation, which targeted terror infrastructure Interestingly, the SCO summit also witnessed marks a turning point in its regional diplomacy. By
beyond India’s borders, demonstrated that India’s a cautious warming of relations between India and taking a firm stand on terrorism, refusing to bow to
strategic patience has limits. China. NSA Ajit Doval met with Chinese Foreign consensus that masks complicity, and simultane-
“We have shown that the epicenters of terror- Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, with both sides ex- ously engaging with both Russia and China, India
ism are no longer safe,” Rajnath Singh said. “And pressing interest in promoting “overall develop- is carving out a strategic identity as a principled, yet
we will not hesitate to target them.” ment” of bilateral ties. pragmatic power.
Amid the friction with Pakistan and the broad- India has also called for the resumption of di- Its insistence on accountability, combined with
er demands of regional security, India continues to rect air services and greater people-to-people ex- a constructive approach to multilateralism, reflects
strengthen its long-standing partnership with Rus- changes—a step that could recalibrate bilateral a maturing foreign policy—one that blends hard se-
sia. On the sidelines of the SCO meetings, Defense relations in a post-pandemic, post-conflict context. curity concerns with long-term visions of connectivi-
Minister Singh met his Russian counterpart Andrey Still, the Indian side remains wary, particularly on ty, cooperation, and collective progress.
Belousov, while National Security Advisor (NSA) border issues and China’s growing influence in mul- As geopolitical rivalries deepen and new power
Ajit Doval held talks with Aleksandr Venediktov, tilateral forums. centers emerge, India’s role in the SCO—as both a
Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council. India’s messaging at the SCO wasn’t limited to disruptor and a builder—is set to grow.

www.TheIndianEYE.com