Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh urges SCO members at 25th Council of Heads of Government in Dushanbe to jointly dismantle terrorism's entire ecosystem; India to host first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum by year-end

Key facts

• Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed the 25th Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 20, 2026, calling on Member States to make concerted efforts to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism, which he described as one of the gravest threats to peace and development.
• Singh stated there can be no justification for terrorism, no double standards in addressing it, and no place for those who finance, support, or provide safe havens to terrorists; Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was present at the meeting.
• Singh recalled the SCO Summit in Bishkek (August-September 2026), where Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined concrete steps on security, connectivity and opportunity, and reaffirmed India's support for the Action Plan 2026-2030 under the Programme for Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation (PMTEC).
• Singh welcomed the Bishkek Summit decisions to establish the Universal Centre in Tashkent and the Anti-Drug Centre in Dushanbe as permanent bodies of the SCO, saying their effectiveness would depend on efficient coordination and timely execution.
• On connectivity, Singh said initiatives such as the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chabahar Port can significantly connect Central Asia with broader markets, and stressed that connectivity must be based on consultation and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
• Singh announced that India will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum by the end of 2026 and invited all member countries to participate; the forum was proposed by PM Modi at the SCO Council of Heads of State summit in Tianjin in 2025 to strengthen people-to-people ties and showcase ancient civilisations, art, literature and traditions.
• The Heads of Delegation adopted the Joint Communiqué of the 25th SCO CHG Meeting, covering the SCO budget for 2027, relevant financial and administrative decisions, and the PMTEC Action Plan for 2026-2030.
• The meeting reviewed progress in multilateral economic and trade cooperation and discussed strengthening cooperation in transport, finance, digital economy and social development; the SCO CHG is the mechanism responsible for promoting economic and practical cooperation among Member States.
• India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017 and continues to participate actively in its various mechanisms.
• On the sidelines, Singh met Tajikistan Prime Minister Qohir Rosulzoda, highlighting longstanding civilisational ties and people-to-people links, and also met Iran's First Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref.
• Singh highlighted India's global initiatives — the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Mission LiFE and the Global Biofuel Alliance — as contributing to affordable clean energy, climate-resilient development and sustainable lifestyles.
• Singh cited India's Digital Public Infrastructure, one of the world's largest start-up ecosystems, and women-led development as demonstrating the transformative potential of technology and innovation.
• Singh also referred to his October 15 remarks in New Delhi that any future terrorist act originating from Pakistan would draw an even stronger response, and that since 2014 the 'shelf life' of most terrorists had fallen to less than a year.