The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders strongly condemned the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Pahalgam, Khuzdar, and on the Jaffar Express, vowing to step up joint efforts against terrorism and extremism.
Meeting in Tianjin on Monday, the regional bloc’s heads of state pledged deeper cooperation and concrete steps to hold perpetrators and sponsors of such attacks accountable.
In a joint statement, SCO leaders condemn terrorism and reiterated that no group should ever be used for political or selfish purposes. They reaffirmed the central role of sovereign states in countering extremist threats while stressing the need for greater intelligence-sharing, border security, and coordinated action.
Pakistan-India Tensions surface again
The declaration came against the backdrop of renewed Pakistan-India hostilities following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. India, without presenting evidence, accused Pakistan of orchestrating the assault. In retaliation to India’s cross-border strikes, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, downing six Indian jets, including three Rafales.
Tensions deepened in June when India refused to endorse a joint SCO Defence Ministers’ document that mentioned terrorism in Balochistan but not the Pahalgam incident, preventing a unified statement.
In a diplomatic breakthrough for Islamabad, however, the United States formally designated the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its Majeed Brigade faction as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). The BLA, which has long been accused of receiving backing from India, claimed responsibility for the deadly hijacking of the Jaffar Express earlier this year, which left 31 people dead and hundreds taken hostage.
Expanding anti-terror framework
The Tianjin summit highlighted the role of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in coordinating counterterrorism efforts. Leaders praised recent joint drills in Xinjiang and endorsed a new 2026–2030 Program of Cooperation to combat extremist ideologies, prevent radicalisation, and curb intolerance, xenophobia, and aggressive nationalism across the region.
Once again, the joint declaration made it clear: SCO leaders condemn terrorism in all its forms and urged member states to step up multilateral cooperation to block financing channels for militant groups.
Turning to the Middle East, the SCO condemned Israel and the United States for June airstrikes on Iran, calling them a violation of international law and a threat to regional stability. The statement stressed the need to safeguard nuclear facilities and prevent civilian casualties during conflicts.
Xi and Putin take aim at the West
China’s President Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin used the platform to challenge Western dominance. Xi urged member states to resist “hegemonism and bullying” while promoting his Global Governance Initiative (GGI), which calls for sovereign equality, real multilateralism, and development focused on the Global South.
Putin, meanwhile, defended Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine, blaming NATO expansionism and Western interference for the crisis. Both leaders emphasized that the SCO’s model of cooperation offers a more balanced and inclusive alternative to Western-led alliances.
Xi also proposed creating a new SCO development bank and announced $280 million in aid, along with $1.4 billion in loans, for member states. China will also establish an artificial intelligence cooperation centre and invite SCO countries to join its lunar research station project — signaling Beijing’s intent to place itself at the heart of future global technology and security systems.
