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22nd SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting Held in Qingdao, China and Focus on Regional Security, Terrorism, and Bilateral Dialogue.

International | Dated: 01 Jul 2025

From June 25–26, 2025, defence ministers of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) met in Qingdao, China, chaired by Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun. The conference focused on strengthening regional security, expanding military cooperation, and enhancing strategic communication, while notable bilateral dialogues addressed border tensions and defence modernization.

🎯 Key Highlights:

  • - China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun, acting as SCO chair, opened the session by emphasizing the need to uphold the "Shanghai Spirit" through stronger communication and shared security. Participants unanimously agreed to intensify practical cooperation such as joint exercises, information sharing, and military-medical collaboration to tackle contemporary threats.
  • - India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, attending his first high-level visit to China since the 2020 standoff, emphasized counter-terrorism. He urged SCO members to “condemn terror without bias,” warning nations using terrorism as state policy and advocating action against Weapons of Mass Destruction and non-state actors.
  • - Rajnath Singh also declined to endorse the joint declaration due to omission of references to terrorism. He demanded explicit acknowledgment of the April 22 Pahalgam attack, emphasizing India’s stance that terrorism must be addressed rather than glossed over.

💡 Other Important Facts:

  • (i) On bilateral sidelines, Rajnath Singh met Chinese counterpart Dong Jun to discuss a “permanent solution” for the India-China border conflict. He proposed structured dialogue on disengagement, improved communication, and eventual demarcation, signaling a thaw post-Galwan while restoring trust.
  • (ii) Another important diplomatic move saw Singh engage Russia’s Andrey Belousov, securing assurances for timely S-400 air defence system deliveries by 2027, upgrades for Su-30MKI fighter jets, and progress on DRDO’s Project Kusha, enhancing India’s strategic capabilities.
  • (iii) All 10 SCO nations, including Pakistan, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and India, attended the meeting. The gathering underlined the SCO’s role as a stabilizing regional forum amid rising global tensions and highlighted cooperation across defence, counter-terrorism, and non-traditional security.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

In June 2025, which city hosted the 22nd Defence Ministers' Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), focusing on regional security and counter-terrorism cooperation?

Correct Answer: Qingdao

🚀 Quick Recap:

About SCO

  • Headquarters: Beijing, China
  • Founded: 15 June 2001