Qingdao, 25 June — Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Qingdao, China, on Wednesday to participate in the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled from June 25 to 26. He was received at the airport by Indian Ambassador to China, Pradeep Kumar Rawat.
In a post on X before his departure, Singh stated, “I shall be leaving for Qingdao, China, to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting. I will have the opportunity to interact with various Defence Ministers on a wide range of issues. Looking forward to present India’s vision for global peace and security and also, call for joint and consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism.”
The SCO is a nine-member intergovernmental body that includes India, China, Russia, and several Central Asian nations. It works to foster regional security, counter-terrorism coordination, and deeper economic and political ties. India became a full member in 2017 and held the rotating chairmanship in 2023.
In a statement issued ahead of the meetings, the Ministry of Defence said Singh is expected to underscore India’s commitment to the SCO’s founding principles and its broader goals of international peace, stability, and cooperation.
“The Defence Ministry is expected to highlight India’s continued commitment to the principles and mandate of the SCO, outline India’s vision towards achieving greater international peace and security, call for joint and consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the region, and stress the need for greater trade, economic cooperation, and connectivity within SCO,” the release stated.
Singh is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, including discussions with his counterparts from China and Russia.
India has maintained that the SCO provides a valuable platform for promoting multilateralism and constructive dialogue. The Ministry reiterated that India places high importance on strengthening regional ties through political, economic, and people-to-people engagements under the SCO umbrella.
“The SCO pursues its policy based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity of nations, non-interference in internal affairs, mutual respect, understanding, and equality of all member states,” the statement added.
Founded in 2001, the SCO now includes Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Iran, and Belarus. China holds the chairmanship for 2025, under the theme: “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.”
