Why India Refused to Sign the SCO Joint Statement

Key Reasons for India's Refusal:

• Omission of India's Terrorism Concerns: The draft joint statement did not adequately reflect India's concerns about terrorism, particularly cross-border terrorism. India had specifically pushed for strong language on terrorism and wanted explicit references to incidents such as the April 22, 2025, terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national. However, the document omitted this attack while including references to incidents in Pakistan, such as the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan.
• Lack of Consensus Due to "One Particular Country": The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified that consensus could not be reached because "one particular country" objected to India's proposals on terrorism. While the MEA did not name the country, the context suggests it was either Pakistan or China, both of which are SCO members and have previously differed with India on terrorism-related language.
• India's Call Against Double Standards: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized in his address that there should be "no place for double standards" in combating terrorism. He called on SCO members to hold perpetrators, organizers, financers, and sponsors of terrorism—including those responsible for cross-border attacks—accountable and to reject the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
• Selective Framing Unacceptable to India: Indian officials highlighted that the selective mention of terror incidents—excluding those affecting India but including those in Pakistan—was unacceptable. This selective framing, they argued, undermined the principle of a unified and uncompromising stance against terrorism.

Official Explanation from MEA

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal summarized India's position:

"India wanted concerns and terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country, and therefore the statement could not be adopted."

He further noted that the lack of mention of the Pahalgam attack, while including incidents in Pakistan, was a key factor in India's decision.

Outcome

As a result of India's refusal to endorse the draft, the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting concluded without a joint statement for the first time in recent years. This underscores ongoing divisions within the bloc on how to address terrorism and highlights India's insistence on a stronger, more consistent anti-terrorism stance from international partners.