Why Did Rajnath Singh Refuse To Sign SCO Joint Statement? S Jaishankar Explains

At a press briefing, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar highlighted why Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refused to sign the joint statement at the recent SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting. He stated that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded with the core objective of fighting terrorism. However, during the drafting of the outcome document, one member country objected to including any reference to terrorism. In response, Rajnath Singh made it clear that India would not support or sign a statement that omits the very issue the SCO was created to address. The SCO functions by unanimity, and India stood firm.