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New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Russia backs India on cross-border terror, Rajnath talks arms delivery
NEW DELHI: Russia once again expressed its solidarity with India on the terror attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh discussed cross-border terrorism and defence cooperation in a bilateral meeting with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, China on Thursday. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday informed that Singh also held bilateral meetings with the defence ministers of Belarus, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, with India's fight against terrorism in the wake of Operation Sindoor among the common issues discussed. The Singh-Belousov meeting included in-depth discussions on a range of subjects, covering current geopolitical situations, cross-border terrorism, and Indo-Russian defence cooperation. The MoD said key topics also included the 'supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes'. The S-400 advanced air defence system has the capability of targeting threats up to 400 km. It was deployed during Operation Sindoor. The contract for five missile systems was inked in 2018 for around `35,000 crore. India has so far received three squadrons of the air defence system, which are operationalised and deployed along the borders with China and Pakistan.
India Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
No Balochistan, Pahalgam or Terrorism mentioned in SCO declaration, say sources
New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): After India refused to sign a joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in China on Thursday, certain reports had claimed that the declaration had found a mention of the Balochistan crisis, but failed to mention the Pahalgam terror attack prompting India not to endorse the document. However, sources have clarified that these reports are completely incorrect. According to sources, the alphabet soup of the declaration document did not have either B (Balochistan) or P (Pahalgam) in its text. The document did not even have a reference to T (terrorism). This prompted India to back off from signing the final declaration. Sources also said that the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh did not sign the SCO document as India was not satisfied with the language of the joint document, as there was no mention of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday stated that the Raksha Mantri was right in not signing the joint document as one country of the 10-member grouping did not want to refer to terrorism. Jaishankar said the main objective of the SCO was to fight terror. The Ministry of External Affairs had in a statement said that the Defence Ministers' meeting of the SCO concluded without a joint statement due to a lack of consensus among member countries. 'India advocated for the inclusion of terrorism concerns in the document, but one country objected. Defence Minister urged countries to unite against terrorism and hold perpetrators accountable, emphasising regional stability and security,' it said. When asked about the development at a press conference in the national capital, Jaishankar said, 'Let me give you some context because I think it's important. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation its objective was to fight terrorism. This organisation exists to fight terrorism. When Rajnath Ji went for a defence ministers' meeting, and there was a discussion on the outcome document, one country. You can guess which one. One country said that no, we do not want a reference to that.' 'Rajnath Singh's view rightly was, without that reference, that when the main purpose of the organisation is to fight terrorism, and you are not allowing a reference to that, he expressed his unwillingness to accept... SCO runs with unanimity. One country did not agree to making a reference to terrorism in the statement. So, Rajnath ji clearly said that if there is no mention of terrorism in the statement, we will not sign it,' Jaishankar added. Addressing the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in China's Qingdao yesterday, Rajnath Singh had said that there should be no place for double standards regarding terrorism, and member countries of the bloc should not hesitate to criticise nations that indulge in such actions. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Rajnath Singh pushes for border demarcation with China
NEW DELHI: India pushed for a permanent solution of border demarcation with China and underlined the need to solve complex issues through a structured roadmap of engagement and de-escalation, during talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on Thursday. Defence minister Rajnath Singh meets Chinese defence minister Admiral Dong Jun on sidelines of SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting, in Qingdao on Thursday. (ANI) Singh 'stressed on border management and to have a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism on the issue,' the defence ministry said on Friday, a day after two ministers held talks at Qingdao in China on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers' meeting. Singh also called for bridging the trust deficit created after the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh by taking action on the ground. Both India and China have a differing perception of the LAC because of which rival patrols often come face-to-face along the contested border. 'The two ministers agreed to continue consultations at various levels to achieve progress on issues related to disengagement, de-escalation, border management and eventual de-limitation through existing mechanisms,' the ministry said in a statement. This was Singh's first visit to China after the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh. Last October, the Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) completed their disengagement from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh; the last two flashpoints along the LAC. The development allowed the two armies to get past a two-year impasse in negotiations and reduce border tensions that began in May 2020. 'Both sides should agree to demarcate the LAC to overcome the problem of existing disputed areas, which are mostly in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, and eliminate the face-offs that take place when patrols come face to face in those areas,' said military affairs expert Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd). Singh acknowledged the work being done by both sides 'to bring back semblance of normalcy' in the bilateral relationship, and emphasised 'the need to create good neighbourly conditions to achieve best mutual benefits as well as to cooperate for stability in Asia and the world.' 'The two ministers held in-depth discussions on the need to maintain peace and tranquillity along the India-China border,' the statement added. Singh appreciated the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar yatra. On Friday, he highlighted the need to avoid new complexities in the India-China relationship. 'Held talks with Admiral Dong Jun…We had a constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on issues…Expressed my happiness on restarting of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a gap of nearly six years. It is incumbent on both sides to maintain this positive momentum and avoid adding new complexities in the bilateral relationship,' Singh wrote on X. He also briefed the Chinese defence minister on the April 22 Pahalgam terror strike and the subsequent Operation Sindoor aimed at dismantling the terrorist networks in Pakistan. India launched the operation in the early hours of May 7 and struck terror and military installations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), It triggered a four-day military confrontation with Pakistan involving fighter jets, missiles, drones, long-range weapons and heavy artillery before the two sides reached an understanding on stopping all military action on May 10. The SCO defence ministers' meeting could not issue a joint communique on Thursday as India refused to endorse the document because it did not address its terrorism-related concerns. Singh refused to sign the joint communique as it was silent on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed but mentioned the Jaffar Express hijacking in Pakistan by the Balochistan Liberation Army on March 11, as reported by HT. In his address at the meeting, Singh said India launched Operation Sindoor exercising its right to defend itself against terrorism and pre-empt and deter further cross-border attacks. 'It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture and utilise terrorism for their narrow and selfish ends must bear the consequences. Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide shelter to terrorists. There should be no place for such double standards. SCO should not hesitate to criticise such nations,' he said at the time, adding that the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, should be held accountable and brought to justice. On Thursday, Singh also held talks with his Russian counterpart Andrey Belousov on the sidelines of the SCO defence ministers' meeting. It was one of the most important recent meetings between the leaders of the two nations, held in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor and the consequent need to augment defence production, especially in critical items such as air defence, air-to-air missiles, modern capabilities, and upgrades of air platforms, the ministry said in another statement. 'Supply of S-400 systems, Su-30 MKI upgrades, and procurement of critical military hardware in expeditious timeframes were some of the key takeaways of the meeting.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
No Balochistan, Pahalgam or terrorism mentioned in SCO declaration, say sources
After India refused to sign a joint declaration at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in China on Thursday, certain reports had claimed that the declaration had found a mention of the Balochistan crisis , but failed to mention the Pahalgam terror attack prompting India not to endorse the document. However, sources have clarified that these reports are completely incorrect. According to sources, the alphabet soup of the declaration document did not have either B (Balochistan) or P (Pahalgam) in its text. The document did not even have a reference to T (terrorism). This prompted India to back off from signing the final declaration. Sources also said that the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh did not sign the SCO document as India was not satisfied with the language of the joint document, as there was no mention of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday stated that the Raksha Mantri was right in not signing the joint document as one country of the 10-member grouping did not want to refer to terrorism. Jaishankar said the main objective of the SCO was to fight terror. The Ministry of External Affairs had in a statement said that the Defence Ministers' meeting of the SCO concluded without a joint statement due to a lack of consensus among member countries. Live Events "India advocated for the inclusion of terrorism concerns in the document, but one country objected. Defence Minister urged countries to unite against terrorism and hold perpetrators accountable, emphasising regional stability and security," it said. When asked about the development at a press conference in the national capital, Jaishankar said, "Let me give you some context because I think it's important. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation its objective was to fight terrorism. This organisation exists to fight terrorism. When Rajnath Ji went for a defence ministers' meeting, and there was a discussion on the outcome document, one country. You can guess which one. One country said that no, we do not want a reference to that." "Rajnath Singh's view rightly was, without that reference, that when the main purpose of the organisation is to fight terrorism, and you are not allowing a reference to that, he expressed his unwillingness to accept... SCO runs with unanimity. One country did not agree to making a reference to terrorism in the statement. So, Rajnath ji clearly said that if there is no mention of terrorism in the statement, we will not sign it," Jaishankar added. Addressing the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in China's Qingdao yesterday, Rajnath Singh had said that there should be no place for double standards regarding terrorism, and member countries of the bloc should not hesitate to criticise nations that indulge in such actions. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Mint
a day ago
- Politics
- Mint
'De-escalation, border management': Rajnath Singh chalks 4-point roadmap to end India's dispute with China
India's defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday, met with his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun, and chalked out a four-point roadmap to end India's dispute with China. During the talks, India and China's defence ministers agreed to continue consultations to achieve progress on "disengagement, de-escalation, border management and eventual de-limitation", as per an official statement. Rajnath Singh and Admiral Dong Jun met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, which marks the first high-level military engagement since India and China concluded the disengagement process at Demchok and Depsang Plains in October 2024. From strict adherence to the 2024 Disengagement Agreement to focusing on border management, here's a look at India's 4-point roadmap: 1. Adherence to 2024 Disengagement Agreement: Both nations are expected to fully implement the disengagement agreement signed in October 2024, particularly at the remaining friction points in Eastern Ladakh, including Demchok and Depsang. 2. Ongoing De-escalation efforts: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the need for sustained efforts to reduce tensions and prevent any future incidents along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 3. Demarcation and delimitation: Rajnath Singh also urged for expedited talks to finalise the boundary demarcation process. "Singh also stressed on border management and to have a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism on the issue," the government statement mentioned, referring to the border talks process between the Asian giants. 4. Bridging the Trust deficit: During his meeting with Admiral Dong, Rajnath Singh also called for bridging the trust deficit created after the 2020 standoff, India said in its statement. The SCO defence ministers, however, were unable to adopt a joint statement at the end of their meeting due to a lack of consensus on referring to "terrorism", India stated. Sharing a photo on X after the meeting, Rajnath Singh emphasised the importance of maintaining the "positive momentum" in India-China diplomatic relations. He also expressed happiness over the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has restarted after nearly six years. India and China share a 3, 800 km largely undemarcated and disputed border in the Himalayas and have gone to war over it. Following the border standoff in eastern Ladakh, India has consistently maintained that peace and stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are essential for normalising overall ties with China. The standoff began in May 2020, with a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June that year leading to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations. The face-off effectively ended following the completion of the disengagement process from Demchok and Depsang's last two friction points under an agreement finalised on October 21.
