At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting held in Beijing, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declined to sign the joint declaration. His refusal was based on the document’s omission of any reference to the Pahalgam incident that occurred earlier in April 2025.
The draft of the joint declaration presented during the SCO meeting did not mention the killing of 26 Indian tourists in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir. Indian media reports confirmed that Singh expressed dissatisfaction after reviewing the document and opted not to endorse it.
Sources also reported that the declaration allegedly included indirect accusations against India, suggesting that India was linked to unrest in Balochistan. This further contributed to India’s decision to withdraw from signing the document.
The Pahalgam attack, which involved the deaths of 26 Indian nationals, has heightened diplomatic tension in the region. India has been seeking international acknowledgment of the incident, especially within multilateral platforms like the SCO. However, the absence of the incident from the SCO declaration viewed by India as a lack of support or recognition of its concerns.
The SCO, which includes China, Pakistan, Russia, India, and other member states, held the 2025 Defence Ministers’ summit in Beijing. While the joint declaration aimed to reflect regional harmony on security matters, India’s stance highlighted a clear division on sensitive bilateral issues.
 Defence Ministers' meeting held in Beijing, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declined to sign the joint declaration. His refusal was based on the document’s omission of any reference to the Pahalgam incident that occurred earlier in April 2025.){kind=link}