Goa, June 26 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a firm rebuke to India's adversaries by declining to sign the joint statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China. The move came in response to the deliberate omission of the recent Pahalgam terror attack-which left 26 dead-from the final document.

In contrast, the statement made reference to Balochistan, widely seen as a subtle endorsement of Pakistan's baseless claims that India stokes unrest in the region. The move is believed to reflect Pakistan's influence, bolstered by China, which currently chairs the SCO.

In a powerful address to the summit, Singh urged member nations to act collectively against terrorism, warning tha...