India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on Thursday. During the defense ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China, Rajnath urged members to unite against terrorism and extremism. He also met with his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, where he forcefully raised the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
Rajnath further stated that Operation Sindoor is now India's principled stance against cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. In this context, he mentioned the need to avoid adding new complexities to the positive momentum in India-China relations.
The Defense Minister suggested measures to end India-China border tensions:
Strict adherence to the disengagement process.
Endeavors to reduce border tensions.
The need to expedite resolving border disputes to achieve demarcation and delimitation targets.
Utilizing the existing SR-level mechanism to forge new procedures aimed at improving relations and resolving differences.
Meeting with Chinese Defense Minister
After meeting China's Defense Minister Dong Jun, Rajnath Singh wrote in a social media post, "Engaged in an insightful dialogue with China's Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun during the SCO Defense Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China. We exchanged constructive and visionary ideas concerning bilateral relations."
He also expressed happiness over the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage after nearly six years. It is essential for both parties to maintain this positive trajectory and refrain from introducing new complexities in bilateral relations.
Rajnath Singh presented China's Defense Minister with a Madhubani painting from Bihar. This art form originates from Bihar's Mithila region and is also known as Mithila or Madhubani art. It is characterized by bright colors and intricately patterned line art, popular for its tribal motifs and vibrant earthen hues.
