Rajnath Singh Tells SCO Meeting in Dushanbe Terrorism Has No Justification

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on 20 October 2026 that there is no justification for terrorism. Speaking at the 25th meeting of the council, he said the entire ecosystem of terrorism should be ended strongly and collectively, and that there can be no space for people who finance and support terrorists or provide them a safe haven.

The two-day meeting was scheduled for 19 and 20 October under Tajikistan's 2026 SCO chairmanship, according to Swarajya. All India Radio (NewsOnAir) reported that Singh had left for Dushanbe to represent India. Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, was also present.

What Singh Told the Dushanbe Meeting

Singh described terrorism as one of the gravest threats to development. He said it harms lives, investment and commerce, radicalises societies and denies young people opportunities. He also called terrorism one of the biggest threats to peace and development, according to Time News.

He said there can be no double standards in tackling terrorism. He also said there is no place for anyone who finances or supports terrorists, or gives them a safe haven, and called for collective action to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism. Singh spoke as India's representative, according to Outlook.

Outlook also recalls that Prime Minister Narendra Modi made similar comments on terrorism at a September SCO gathering that Chinese President Xi Jinping attended. Outlook reports that Modi also said Pakistan treats terrorism as a form of tourism.

Bilateral Talks in Dushanbe and Ties With Tajikistan

Singh held bilateral talks with Tajikistan's Prime Minister, Qohir Rosulzoda, on the sidelines of the meeting. Time News reports that Singh highlighted longstanding civilisational ties and deep people-to-people connections uniting India and Tajikistan.

Time News reports that he also held separate discussions with Iran's First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref. On arrival at Dushanbe airport, Singh was received by Tajikistan's Defence Minister, Emomali Sobirzoda, and Sherali Jonon of the foreign ministry, according to Outlook, citing PTI.

Tajikistan is one of the six states that founded the SCO in Shanghai on 15 June 2001, according to Wikipedia.

Pakistan's Response and the Earlier Remarks

Outlook reports that Dar sat opposite Singh during the speech. Pakistan's foreign ministry posted footage showing the two at the same table, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The background is the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people. Two weeks later, India launched Operation Sindoor against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Outlook says the military clash that followed left Pakistan with heavy military losses, and that India accuses Pakistan's government and army of supporting terrorism.

On 15 October 2026, at the Times Network Defence Conclave in New Delhi, Singh warned that any future terrorist act originating from Pakistan would draw a stronger response. He cited Operation Sindoor, the Balakot airstrikes and the surgical strikes. Time News reports that he also said the time most terrorists remain active had fallen to under a year since 2014.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, Sajjad Haider Khan, condemned those remarks at a weekly briefing on 16 October. According to Time News, he called them reckless and reflective of a hegemonistic mindset, said Pakistan's commitment to peace should not be mistaken for weakness, and urged New Delhi to drop its belligerent posture. General Aamer Raza of the National Strategic Command, also quoted by Time News, said there is no space for conflict or war in a nuclearised environment.

There can be no space for people who finance and support terrorists or provide them a safe haven.

How the SCO Council Works and What Dushanbe Covers

The SCO was established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai by six states, and succeeded the Shanghai Five, formed in 1996. It now has ten member states, including India and Pakistan. The Council of Heads of Government is the second-highest body, after the Council of Heads of State. It meets each year, discusses multilateral cooperation and approves the organisation's budget.

At the 2023 meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, India was represented by External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, according to the SCO Secretariat. Members signed a package of decisions on transport, e-commerce and ecology.

For Dushanbe, All India Radio (NewsOnAir) lists the agenda as culture, connectivity, the economy, innovation, investment and people-to-people ties, along with a review of the organisation's financial and institutional functioning. Swarajya lists trade, transport and logistics, industrial cooperation, the digital and creative economy, and social, cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

Swarajya said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to take part virtually.