Rajnath Singh Meets Chinese Defence Minister: Terrorism, Bilateral Ties Dominate Discussion at SCO Summit

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China. The bilateral meeting came amid ongoing tensions and unresolved border issues between India and China.

What Was Discussed?

While official details of the India-China meeting remain limited, both sides underscored the importance of mutual trust, regional cooperation, and peace. China reiterated the SCO’s core principles—equality, mutual benefit, consultation, and multilateral cooperation—emphasizing that the forum is not meant to resolve bilateral disputes like those between India and Pakistan.

Beijing clarified reports circulating in Indian media, stating that India's decision not to sign a joint statement related to terrorism at the SCO was due to lack of consensus, and it should not be misinterpreted as an India-Pakistan bilateral issue.

Rajnath Singh’s Tough Stand on Terrorism

Rajnath Singh used the SCO platform to strongly criticize terrorism and indirectly target Pakistan in light of the recent Pahalgam attack. Without naming Islamabad directly, Singh stated:

“Peace, prosperity and terrorism cannot go together. Decisive action is needed against terrorism, extremism and radicalism.”

He refused to endorse the SCO joint draft, signaling India’s disapproval of any ambiguity on the terrorism issue. He also pointed to Pakistan’s alleged links with terrorist organizations like The Resistance Front (TRF).

India-Pakistan Tensions Surface

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also attended the meeting. This marks the first time since the Pahalgam terror attack that both Indian and Pakistani defence ministers shared a platform. While there was no direct engagement between the two, Singh’s remarks clearly highlighted India’s concerns over Pakistan-backed terrorism.

China’s Message on Regional Disputes

China, while supporting the SCO framework, reiterated that the forum is not a place for resolving India-Pakistan disputes and that bilateral dialogue remains the best path forward.