India, June 28 -- In a significant diplomatic development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh declined to endorse a joint declaration on terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting on Tuesday, objecting to the omission of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

The draft statement, meant to reflect the collective stance of SCO members on counterterrorism, failed to acknowledge the Pahalgam incident-an omission India considers deliberate and politically motivated. The attack, which New Delhi blames on Pakistan, remains a flashpoint in India's broader campaign against what it sees as Islamabad's continued support for cross-border terrorism.

Sources within the Indian delegation confirmed...