Rajnath Singh urges SCO to dismantle terror support networks

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members to act together against the networks that finance, shelter and support terrorists, addressing the grouping’s 25th Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe on Tuesday, October 20, according to The Economic Times.

Singh rejected any justification for terrorism or selective standards in confronting it. His appeal extended beyond those carrying out attacks to the wider support system that enables them. He also linked the security threat to economic damage, saying terrorism kills innocent people and disrupts investment and commerce.

Trade cooperation alongside security

Turning to economic cooperation, Singh called on SCO members to convert agreement into practical measures as geopolitical tensions unsettle trade and supply chains. He identified energy and food security concerns, along with widening technological divides, as further challenges requiring a coordinated response.

He advocated more resilient supply chains, easier trade and investment, and the use of technology to advance development. India, he said, supports adopting an action plan for the grouping’s Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation Programme for 2026–2030.

Singh also stressed sovereign equality, decisions reached through consensus and mutual respect as guiding principles for the SCO. He welcomed the decision to establish a Universal Centre in Tashkent and an Anti-Drug Centre in Dushanbe as permanent bodies of the organisation.

Connectivity with respect for sovereignty

The minister reaffirmed India’s support for projects that connect markets, enable commerce and open opportunities for development. He singled out the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chabahar Port as routes that could improve Central Asia’s access to wider markets.

That support came with a clear condition: connectivity projects must emerge from consultation and respect every country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Singh warned that projects lacking those foundations would not endure. The report interpreted this warning as a reference to Chinese initiatives in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; it did not report him explicitly naming those projects.