by EuroNews with AP
It’s published
Beijing’s strong regional influence ambitions are concerns that on Thursday, India refused to sign a joint statement proposed at a meeting of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Agency (SCO), it was biased towards Pakistan as it did not mention the April terrorist attacks on Indian tourists.
According to an anonymous source familiar with the issue, Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh opposed the statement, saying it undermines India’s stance on important issues such as terrorism and regional security.
India has accused Pakistan of supporting the April 22 attack, in which 26 people (mainly Hindu tourists) were killed in India-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan denied involvement.
Singh claimed that the joint statement “along with the Pakistani narrative” but that it “along with the Pakistani narrative” was “along with the Pakistani narrative” as he mentioned extremist activities in Balochistan.
Pakistan frequently accussed India of supporting the claims New Delhi has denied, Balochistan’s separatist movement.
Without explicitly naming Pakistan, Singh urged the SCO to criticize the country “using cross-border terrorism as a policy tool and providing shelter for terrorists.” He said members should unite in eliminating terrorism and ensure accountability for those who support such activities without mentioning Pakistan.
“Peace and prosperity cannot coexist with the proliferation of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction in the hands of non-state actors and terrorist groups. Decisive action is needed to address these challenges,” Singh said.
The April 22nd murder involved two nuclear-armed states in the most serious military conflict of decades. A few days after the fire was replaced, both sides agreed to a US mediated ceasefire to eliminate tension.
The signing ceremony took place during a gathering of SCO Defense Ministers, a regional bloc created by China and Russia to counter US influence in Asia.
China has primarily taken over the management of SCOs, staging joint drills and holding summits while Russia continues to be involved in a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Although little known worldwide, SCO has become one of China’s main means of expanding its political and economic scope to traditionally neutral regions, closely linked to Russia, such as India or Central Asia.
