In a big diplomatic second in the course of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, Pakistan appeared more and more remoted as India’s agency stance on cross-border terrorism formed the joint declaration — a transfer extensively seen as a setback for Islamabad.
The summit noticed a number of bilateral interactions, together with a notable second when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged a light-weight dialog and walked collectively, passing by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with out acknowledging him. Whereas it is unclear what Shehbaz could have felt, the optics didn’t go unnoticed. In right now’s DNA episode, Rahul Sinha, Managing Editor, Zee Information, analysed Pakistan’s embarrassment in the course of the SCO summit 2025:
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#DNAWithRahulSinha | चीन में ‘पहलगाम’ सुनते ही शहबाज ‘धड़ाम’! SCO में पाकिस्तान की ‘पराजय’ के प्रमाण#DNA #SCOSummit2025 #PMModi #DonaldTrump @RahulSinhaTV pic.twitter.com/6NESmueyL0
— Zee Information (@ZeeNews) September 1, 2025
SCO Nations Condemn Pahalgam Assault
For the primary time, the SCO joint declaration made particular point out of the Pahalgam terror assault and explicitly addressed cross-border terrorism.
The declaration additionally warned in opposition to “double requirements” on terrorism, a degree lengthy emphasised by New Delhi.
The joint assertion additionally talked about assaults by Baloch insurgents inside Pakistan — a degree that was a part of the sooner defence ministers’ draft as properly. Nevertheless, this time the assertion went additional by including references to cross-border terrorism and rejecting double requirements, which many interpret as a diplomatic warning to Pakistan.
This marked a pointy distinction from the SCO Defence Ministers’ assembly held in June in Qingdao, China, the place the Pahalgam assault was notably absent from the joint assertion. That omission prompted Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to reject the declaration, stating clearly that India wouldn’t settle for a selective strategy to terrorism.
Since then, India ramped up diplomatic efforts — efforts that seem to have paid off. Within the present summit, not solely was the Pahalgam assault included within the declaration, however PM Modi additionally delivered a powerful assertion condemning terrorism from the SCO stage. His remarks underscored India’s uncompromising place on the problem.
Decoding SCO Joint Declaration
A more in-depth have a look at the language used within the joint declaration reveals crucial indicators. Using “cross-border” terrorism, a time period India persistently makes use of to explain Pakistan’s position in sponsoring terror.
Moreover, the point out of “double requirements” — generally understood as referring to Pakistan’s historic distinction between “good” and “unhealthy” terrorists — each level to a broader worldwide consensus aligning with India’s view.
Whereas Pakistan could try to spin the result of the summit in its favor, claiming diplomatic success, the info on the bottom counsel in any other case. China, historically Pakistan’s strongest backer inside the SCO, appeared to take a step again this time, providing little seen help to Islamabad throughout crucial discussions.