Rajnath Singh Presents Natraj Statue to Russian Defence Minister at SCO Meet in China

New Delhi: While holding insightful deliberations on India-Russia defence ties, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented a token of respect, a Natraj Statue, to Andrey Belousov, Defence Minister Of Russia, during a meeting with him on the sidelines of the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting.

The meeting took place between the two-day SCO Defence Ministers' meeting from June 25 to 26 in China's Qingdao. 
The SCO, including India, China, Russia, and several Central Asian countries, focuses on promoting regional stability and security through cooperation and dialogue.

SCO Defence Ministers’ Meet

During the meeting, the leaders deliberated on various issues including regional and international peace and security, counter-terrorism efforts, and cooperation among the Ministries of Defence of SCO member states.

SCO is an intergovernmental organization that was established in 2001. India became a permanent member in 2017 and accepted the rotating Chairmanship in 2023.

This year's theme under China's chairmanship was 'Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move.'

India's Aims During The Meet 

Before the meeting, the Defence Ministry stated its aims in a press release. "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 & security, call for joint & consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism & extremism in the region, and stress on the need for greater trade, economic cooperation and connectivity within SCO. He will also hold bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of some participating countries, including China and Russia, on the sidelines of the meeting," read the press release. 

Why Did India Refuse To Sign A Joint Statement At SCO?

The Defense Minister refused to sign a joint statement at the SCO meeting in China on Thursday citing India's unwillingness to dilute its stance against terrorism as the reason.

This came after India called out cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and appealed to the participating nations to bring perpetrators of such horrors to justice.

Also read: Rajnath Singh Refuses To Sign SCO Document As It Removed Pahalgam