Loss of chance

• The Qingdao meeting of SCO Defence Ministers ended without a joint communiqué, indicating trouble within the 10-nation grouping.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was forced to withdraw from the joint declaration due to its lack of reference to terrorism, a reference to Pakistan.

• The draft resolution failed to mention terrorism, and member-states including host China and Russia considered referring to “disturbances in Balochistan” at the instance of Pakistan, while leaving out mentions of the Pahalgam attack and crossborder terrorism.

• The SCO’s founding Charter in 2002 focused on building “mutual intraregional efforts to curb terrorism, separatism and extremism”.

• India must study shortcomings in delivering its message on the three-pronged “new normal” announced after Operation Sindoor.

• India’s decision to skip hosting an in-person Summit of the SCO during its turn in 2023 could leave an open platform for Pakistan.

• The government must convince members that their interests lie in strengthening cross-regional support against terrorism.