SCO summit: Rajnath Singh flags state-sponsored terrorism, warns of ‘justifiable punishment’

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday delivered a pointed message on terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting, warning that the global community “must not lose sight of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism”.

Speaking in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Singh described terrorism as “the most serious threat to the emerging world order” and called for consistency in global efforts to counter it. “We are meeting today in the backdrop of unprecedented crises,” he said, pointing to rising conflicts, extremism and radicalism across regions.



Without naming Pakistan directly, his remarks carried a clear signal amid long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan over cross-border militancy. “We must not forget that terrorism has no nationality and no theology. No grievance… can become an excuse for terrorism,” he said, urging SCO members to uphold a zero-tolerance approach.

Singh’s speech came days after India marked the anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians and sent shockwaves across the country. Recalling the incident, he said the “carnage shook the entire humanity,” reinforcing the need for collective action.

The Defence Minister pointed to Operation Sindoor as evidence of a shift in strategy. “We demonstrated our firm resolve that terrorism epicentres are no longer immune to justifiable punishment,” he said.

The operation, launched in May 2025, targeted terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, striking multiple launchpads associated with groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.