Beijing’s ambitions for greater regional influence faced a setback on Thursday when India refused to sign a joint statement proposed at a meeting of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), over concerns the document was biased toward Pakistan for not mentioning April's terror attack on Indian tourists.
According to an anonymous source familiar with the matter, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh objected to the statement, saying it undermined India’s stance on key issues like terrorism and regional security.
India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the perpetrators responsible for the April 22 attack in which 26 people — mostly Hindu tourists from India — were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any involvement.
Singh reportedly argued that the joint statement "aligned with Pakistan’s narrative" because it did not include the attack, but mentioned militant activities in Balochistan, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorised to speak to the media.
Pakistan frequently accuses India of backing separatist movements in Balochistan, allegations that New Delhi denies.
Singh, without explicitly naming Pakistan, urged the SCO to criticise countries that use “cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists.” He said members should unite in eliminating terrorism and ensure accountability for those who aid such activities, without mentioning Pakistan.
“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. Dealing with these challenges requires decisive action,” said Singh, according to a defence ministry statement.
The April 22 killings embroiled the two nuclear-armed nations in the most serious military confrontation in decades. After days of exchanging fire, both sides agreed to a US -brokered ceasefire to de-escalate tensions.
The signing ceremony took place during a gathering of SCO defence ministers, a regional bloc created by China and Russia to counter US influence in Asia.
China has largely taken over the running of the SCO, staging joint drills and holding summits, whilst Russia remains involved in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
While little known globally, the SCO has become one of China's main instruments to expand its political and economic reach into areas traditionally neutral, such as India, or closely linked to Russia such as Central Asia.
