At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit of top security officials in Beijing on June 24, 2025, India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval delivered a strong message urging all SCO member states to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of cross-border terrorism responsible.
Doval’s words, generally seen as a demand to action against Pakistan-backed terror groups, emphasized India’s grave concern about ongoing threats from UN-proscribed organizations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Al Qaeda, ISIS, and its affiliates.
Doval explicitly referred to the recent Pahalgam terror assault, in which The Resistance Front (TRF), a front for the LeT, killed 26 Indian and Nepalese people and injured several others after separating them by religion.
In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, a targeted, intelligence-driven military assault to destroy militant infrastructure both across the Line of Control and deep within Pakistan. The operation was marked by accuracy, professionalism, and a focus to minimizing collateral damage, as Indian forces effectively neutralised various terror sites and key operatives. Doval emphasized that India’s actions were “measured and non-escalatory,” demonstrating strategic caution while conveying a strong message of deterrent.
In his speech, Doval urged SCO members to “shun double standards” in the battle against terrorism, calling for immediate action against all UN-designated terrorists and their proxies. He reaffirmed that any act of terror, including cross-border terrorism, is a crime against humanity and urged the world community, including the SCO states, to bring those responsible to account.
Doval also pushed for increased collaboration in counter-terrorism, separatism, and extremism through “joint information operations,” emphasizing the importance of taking coordinated action against the terrorist environment.
The NSA’s participation in the SCO meeting underscores India’s evolving security philosophy, which now includes a willingness to respond forcefully to cross-border terrorism and seek global assistance in destroying terror networks.
Operation Sindoor, as described by Doval and supported by statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, represents a new era in India’s counter-terrorism policy, combining military precision, strategic clarity, and international engagement to address the persistent threat of cross-border terror.
