SCO meet: Rajnath Singh highlights ’terrorism’ while Pakistan joins virtually

The Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif was supposed to attend the SCO defence ministers' meeting virtually.

As reported by ANI, During the meeting, Rajnath Singh, India's defence minister, emphasized the importance of combating terrorism collectively.

“We should unitedly fight terrorism. If the SCO has to emerge stronger, we have to fight together. Terror groups are using new methods like social media and crowdfunding,” said Singh at the SCO defence ministers' meeting.

New Delhi recently hosted a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers, which included representatives from India, Russia, China, and other member countries.

The attendees discussed critical regional security challenges and other relevant issues during the conclave, which was presided over by Rajnath Singh. It's anticipated that the meeting will also assess the current state of affairs in Afghanistan.

The defence minister noted, “This forum provides an opportunity for all of us to exchange our views, share our perspectives and concerns. This is an important platform where we can discuss the challenges before us and find solutions."

“India sees the SCO as an important entity to promote defence cooperation among member states. We, as a nation, wish to further strengthen the spirit of trust and cooperation among the members of the SCO,” Singh said.

Rajnath Singh reaffirmed India's unwavering commitment to strengthening the SCO and playing a constructive role in fulfilling the organization's objectives.

“To ensure a secure, stable and prosperous region, we need to focus on our agenda. This will help in improving the quality of life of the people of each member country,” Singh said.

According to a report by PTI, officials involved in organizing the meeting noted that the primary agenda of the discussions was centered on regional security matters, particularly the events taking place in Afghanistan.

The SCO is a significant organization in terms of both economic and security matters and has become one of the most significant international groups that span multiple regions.

India has expressed a strong desire to enhance its collaboration with the SCO, particularly in the area of security, and to work closely with its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), which focuses on security and defence issues.

(With inputs from agencies)