“Terror Hubs Won’t Be Spared”: Defence Minister Sends Clear Message at SCO
Qingdao (The Uttam Hindu): Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has arrived in Qingdao, China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers' meeting. On Thursday, Rajnath Singh referred to 'Operation Sindoor' launched after the Pahalgam attacks. Targeting Pakistan, he said that some countries give shelter to terrorists across the border.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting, "India's 'zero tolerance' towards terrorism is well known today. This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism. We have shown that centres of terrorism are no longer safe. We will not hesitate to target them."
He further said, “We should also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of radicalism among our youth. The SCO's 'RATS Mechanism' has played an important role in this regard. The Joint Statement of the SCO Council of Heads of State issued during India's chairmanship on 'Countering radicalism leading to terrorism, separatism and extremism' symbolises our shared commitment.”
The Defence Minister said, "Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no room for such double standards. The SCO should not hesitate to criticise such countries." Rajnath Singh described the biggest challenge facing the region as lack of peace, security and trust. He said that peace and prosperity cannot coexist with terrorism.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "I believe the biggest challenges in our region are related to lack of peace, security and trust. The root cause of these problems is the rise in radicalism, extremism and terrorism."
He said, “Peace and prosperity are not possible in circumstances where terrorism and weapons of mass destruction are in the hands of non-state actors and terrorist organizations. Decisive action is needed to deal with these challenges. We have to fight unitedly against these evils for our collective security and a secure future.”