• India declined to sign the SCO statement, viewing it as pro-Pakistan.
• The joint statement omitted references to a recent terrorist attack in Kashmir.
• Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to fighting terrorism at the SCO meeting.
• The meeting highlighted increasing tensions between India and Pakistan.
• India insists on accountability for countries sponsoring cross-border terrorism.

During the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in China, India refused to sign a joint statement due to its perceived bias towards Pakistan. According to India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the statement did not reflect India's concerns regarding terrorism, particularly the omission of a deadly attack in April that killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir. Singh criticized the statement for not addressing the Kashmir attack while enabling Pakistan’s narrative by focusing solely on incidents in Balochistan, according to trtglobal and BBC.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif reiterated his country’s commitment to tackling terrorism and called for cooperation in combatting the issue within the SCO framework. Addressing the assembly, Asif emphasized the need for collective action against terrorism, stating, “Terrorism is a common threat,” and criticized states for politicizing efforts to combat it. He also condemned the Pahalgam attack and repeated accusations regarding India’s involvement in Balochistan's separatist movements without naming specific countries, reported Dawn and Dawn.

India's stance at the SCO reflects a broader diplomatic isolation as it called for a stronger condemnation of countries that allow cross-border terrorism, yet did not receive support from other nations at the summit on this issue. The joint communiqué was ultimately not adopted due to lack of consensus, largely attributed to India’s concerns regarding its narrative not being represented. Jaiswal noted that “certain members” could not agree on the wording around terrorism, suggesting that India stood alone on the matter, as shared by BBC and trtglobal.

The tensions between India and Pakistan escalated significantly following the April attack, leading to military confrontations and airstrikes. India previously accused Pakistan of harboring terrorist elements responsible for the attack, an allegation that Islamabad firmly denies. The conflict heightened military alertness on both sides, resulting in cross-border holds until a US-brokered ceasefire was announced. Reports indicate that both nations engaged in confrontational tactics, with India targeting alleged terror sites in Pakistan, leading to extensive civilian casualties, according to Dawn and BBC.