SCO’s Tianjin Declaration Condemns Terrorism, Airstrikes on Iran, and Gaza Crisis
New Delhi: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) Tianjin Declaration strongly condemned recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Pakistan’s Khuzdar, and the Jaffer Express, calling for perpetrators, organizers, and sponsors to be brought to justice. The 10-member bloc, which includes India and Pakistan, also denounced “double standards” in fighting terrorism and stressed the UN’s central role in counterterrorism efforts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who signed the declaration along with other leaders, reiterated India’s stance against cross-border terrorism and warned against selective approaches. The Pahalgam attack on 22 April killed 26 people, with New Delhi blaming infiltrators from across the border. In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor in May, striking multiple terrorist complexes in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan, triggering an 87-hour conflict before hostilities paused.
The declaration’s significance for India lies in its reference to cross-border terrorist movement—a long-standing demand of New Delhi. Despite earlier disagreements at the SCO defence ministers’ meeting, all member states, including Pakistan, endorsed the leaders’ statement.
Beyond terrorism, the SCO opposed unilateral coercive measures such as sanctions and tariffs, arguing they undermine global security and economic stability. The statement indirectly referred to Western sanctions on Russia and steep US tariffs on members such as China and India. Since August, India has faced tariffs as high as 50 percent on its exports to the US.
On regional conflicts, the SCO condemned the June 2025 military strikes on Iran by the US and Israel, which targeted nuclear facilities and killed civilians. The declaration labeled the strikes a violation of international law and a threat to global peace. India, however, distanced itself, maintaining its independent stance due to its ties with both Tehran and Tel Aviv.
The declaration also voiced “deep concern” over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, blaming actions that led to mass civilian suffering. It called for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, humanitarian access, and renewed efforts toward a just settlement of the Palestinian question. Unlike New Delhi’s earlier position, the text made no mention of Israeli hostages, indicating subtle divergences within the bloc.
The SCO—comprising India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus—remains one of the few multilateral platforms where India and Pakistan jointly engage, despite sharp disagreements on terrorism and security.
