- 6/26/2025
At the SCO Summit in Qingdao, China, India’s Defence Minister strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, citing the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. He detailed Operation Sindoor, aimed at dismantling terror networks, and urged action against those responsible. The summit also addressed broader regional security and cooperation issues.
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00:00Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrives for the SCO Summit.
00:05Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has arrived at the venue to attend the Shanghai Corporation Organisation Defence Minister's meeting in Qingdao.
00:14These are the first visuals that have come in of the Defence Minister having arrived for the very summit that's taking place.
00:22And with that, let me quickly cut across to our colleague Pranay Upadhyay who's joining us on the Bulletin.
00:28Pranay, very good morning to you.
00:30We see Defence Minister Rajnath Singh already arrived at the SCO Summit in Qingdao.
00:37Do take us through our expectations in terms of the agendas and what exactly are we expecting from this meeting?
00:45Good morning, Chaya.
00:47And this Defence Minister's meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is happening at a very interesting time
00:53because, you know, recently both the member states, India and Pakistan, have undergone, like you know,
00:59they went through a conflict phase of Operation Sindhu and after that, both the Defence Ministers will be attending this Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
01:09And therefore, our expectations, as far as India's expectations are concerned, we want the issue of terrorism need to be addressed.
01:19And therefore, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to emphasise this issue because as part of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation,
01:27there is a counter-terrorism mechanism which is available and India will emphasise that unless the issue of terrorism will be addressed,
01:37there will be part-time, there will be issues between the member states also.
01:42And also, Iran is also a member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Organisation.
01:48The Iranian Defence Minister would also be there.
01:51So, in the wake of the recent, you know, global tensions, regional conflicts,
01:58this Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which has China, which has Russia, which has, like, you know,
02:04Central Asian countries along with India, Iran, Pakistan are also there.
02:09So, we are likely, there is likely to be some statements coming out of that meeting.
02:16And the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit is also likely to be held in China,
02:20where Prime Minister Dayan Modi is also likely to visit, like, you know, after two months.
02:25But this is coming at a very interesting and a very important time.
02:29And Defence Minister is expected to highlight the country's vision,
02:33towards achieving the greater international peace, security and call for the joint press
02:39and consistent effort to eliminate terrorism and extremism in the region.
02:45He will also stress the need for the greater trade and economic cooperation and connectivity
02:50within the SCO member states.
02:52He is also likely to address the SCO meeting today.
02:56You know, Prana, yes, definitely, terrorism and counter-terrorism measures seems to be quite key,
03:03especially for India at this SCO summit.
03:05But also help us understand, are we expecting a meeting, a bilateral meeting at the sidelines
03:10between India and China at the same point?
03:12Yes, after the Galwan incident and after the resolution of that East and Ladakh conflict,
03:20this is for the first time, Indian Defence Minister is visiting China.
03:24This meeting is taking place in Qingdao.
03:27Qingdao is an important naval base of China.
03:30And there, the Chinese Defence Minister is not only playing as a host for the meeting,
03:36but as a tradition of SCO summits and SCO traditions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to meet his host
03:47and there will be a bilateral meeting between India and China, Defence Minister.
03:53And you know the stated position of India that the border dispute is an important part of India-China relation
03:59and the peace and stability on the border is important.
04:04And unless that is maintained, we cannot expect the normalcy of a relationship to be restored between India and China.
04:14Absolutely, Pranay. Thank you so much for bringing us all those details with regards to this SCO meet.
04:20A lot riding on this very summit that we, in fact, are taking a look at.
04:24But right now, at the very top of this hour, the headline or rather the breaking news
04:28that's coming in from this very summit is that our Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
04:32has arrived in Qingdao to attend this very summit.
04:44Moving on to more breaking news coming in.
04:46And this too from the international arena.
04:49New US intel shows damage to Iranian nuke sites.
04:53Now, the CIA, these are claims made by the CIA.
04:56Let me take you through them.
04:58And I quote, Iran nuke program was severely damaged.
05:02Key Iranian nuke facilities destroyed.
05:05It will take years for Iran to rebuild the sites.
05:08This is what they have to say.
05:10The CIA, these are the claims of the CIA again.
05:13With regards to their strikes,
05:16the US strikes on three nuclear sites that we had witnessed.
05:22And this was amid the 12-day escalation that we had also seen between Iran and Israel.
05:28And with that, let me quickly, in fact, cut across to Rohit Sharma,
05:33who's joining us from Washington at this point.
05:36Rohit, we're picking up what the CIA is currently saying.
05:39They are saying that there is a considerable amount of damage that's been done.
05:43But yet, the assessments are being done even now with regards to how much damage has been incurred
05:51on these nuclear sites, especially Fordow,
05:54given that there are claims that had also come in from Trump earlier,
05:58that Fordow had been completely destroyed.
06:01Well, look, there has been a little bit of controversy
06:04when it comes to the assessment of these attacks.
06:06I mean, we saw a report from Reuters yesterday
06:09where, you know, they said, you know, the damage was probably not as big as it was, you know, talked about.
06:15But today, the CIA director, John Ratcliffe, actually issued the statement
06:19saying that they have assessed it, you know, through various intelligence points.
06:24And they believe that, you know, the nuclear program that Iran had will take a few years,
06:30at least a course of years, is what he's saying in this statement to be built,
06:34and that the mission was very successful.
06:36Also, the fact that the Israelis released a statement
06:39in backing up President Donald Trump
06:41and his assessment of what is called being these nuclear facilities being publicly created.
06:47So I think we'll probably continue to see, you know, some of these things as we progress
06:52in days coming, I should say.
06:54But I think the reason CIA had to come out and release a statement,
06:58the very reason that Pete Hexeth is going to be doing a press conference tomorrow morning
07:03at 8 a.m. Washington time is because there has been questions about
07:08how effective these strikes were, especially in the U.S. media.
07:12And I think President Trump, the White House, Pentagon, CIA want to address it head on
07:17and are pointing towards these early assessments from intelligence agencies
07:21within the United States and also, you know, backing that
07:24with what Israelis have presented to the U.S.
07:27Absolutely, Rohit.
07:29There seems to be contradictions that we see even now
07:33with regards to what damage has indeed been incurred upon these nuclear sites.
07:37We are keeping a track of that particular part of the story.
07:40But Rohit, be with us.
07:41We also have more breaking news coming in at this point.
07:44Now, what we are learning is U.S.'s West Asia envoy, Steve Witkoff,
07:56backs for complete peace, says hopeful for peace agreement with Iran.
08:01Witkoff has said, and I quote,
08:03strong sense that Iran is ready for peace.
08:07This is what is being said by the special envoy to the Middle East,
08:10the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff,
08:13with regards to peace agreement with Iran.
08:17A lot has been already spoken by President Trump as well on this.
08:21Let me go back to Rohit and bring him in the conversation to get you more details.
08:25Rohit, this is the particular remark that we see coming in from Steve Witkoff at this point.
08:30They are hopeful for peace and they are saying that Iran is, you know, ready for peace.
08:36But you know, the interesting part is, everybody, or at least the U.S.,
08:41is very keen since day one on speaking on behalf of Iran.
08:45We haven't seen as solid statements coming in from Iran
08:49as we have seen from the United States on what Iran wants from this very conflict.
08:55I think that's a very interesting perspective there, Priya.
08:58I think, yes, you're right. The U.S. has been speaking on behalf of the Iranians, absolutely.
09:04But look, you know, Mr. Witkoff is a very close ally of President Trump.
09:08President Trump was, you know, on doing a press conference day in NATO in Netherlands,
09:13and he essentially talked about that there could be something in works.
09:18You know, we could have an announcement.
09:20But, you know, after that is when this announcement,
09:22or we saw the statement come from Steve Witkoff that Iran could be ready.
09:27There have been people, you know, been working through the back channels,
09:30trying to work with the Iranians.
09:32We've talked about how Qataris have been involved.
09:34So, yes, it is a possibility that there could be, you know, an announcement that could be made.
09:39President Trump also addressing the same rumors said that, you know,
09:42maybe they will talk about nuclear program, maybe they will not.
09:45But I think this is on the expected lines.
09:47We had expected Iranians to somehow be brought to the table.
09:51And that's what President Trump has been saying all along.
09:54So, I think Mr. Witkoff is trying to be basically, you know, in the public domain,
09:58at least for the first time, trying to put it out there to ensure that Americans are aware,
10:04that the American plan is working and Iran is ready to negotiate,
10:08and that they could have a big deal announcement as early as next week.
10:13Right, Rohit Rohit.
10:13Rohit, do stay with us because we do have more news coming in at the given point,
10:18and this too with regards to West Asia and the United States in association with it.
10:31Breaking news coming in.
10:33Donald Trump slams Israel Prime Minister's corruption trial.
10:37Now, Trump has sought for a cancellation of Netanyahu's trial.
10:41Trump has called the trial politically motivated.
10:45Netanyahu was summoned for trial to court.
10:48And he's, in fact, Trump has gone ahead to label the trial a witch hunt over minor charges.
10:54This is what we see with regards to Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial.
10:58And he's called it witch hunt.
11:00Let's go back to Rohit to get more details on this.
11:02Rohit, I would say at this given point,
11:06this particular statement coming in from Donald Trump
11:08would be rather on the expected lines,
11:11given the show of support they have,
11:13in fact, the show of support we have seen
11:16from the U.S. for the Israeli Prime Minister.
11:20Well, interesting choice of words used in that statement released by President Trump.
11:26He's called it a witch hunt,
11:27which he famously used to, you know, call when he was under trial in the United States
11:33for, you know, plenty of, again, you know, crimes that were also called as criminal at one point in time.
11:40So I think he is basically, you know, shocked,
11:43as one of the words he's used in that statement,
11:46and asking Israelis to look at Netanyahu as a wartime prime minister
11:52who's been able to lead them successfully.
11:55And he talks, you know, friendship between the U.S. and Israel.
11:59He talks about how they've been successful in reigning in the Iranians
12:02and that he's frankly, you know, he thinks that somebody could pardon him tomorrow,
12:07you know, and not put him through this witch hunt or this trial,
12:11and which Netanyahu has been facing for a couple of years, a number of years.
12:15I mean, one of the things that have been talked about in the last couple of years
12:19is that he's been escalating these wars so that people can,
12:23so that at least his domestic audience could be, you know,
12:27distracted with these wars and not personally on him and his outstanding trials.
12:32So, I mean, the unexpected lines, as you said,
12:35President Trump throwing his weight behind Benjamin Netanyahu
12:39and also talks about how America saved Israel
12:42and that now America will also save Prime Minister Netanyahu.
12:46So, a very interesting choice of words, full support behind Netanyahu.
12:50And I'm not sure if, you know, he would have any influence in,
12:54or he would have any influence over the Israelis in pardoning him,
12:57but at least he wanted to get the message out there
12:59so people in Israel could understand where President Ronald Trump stands
13:03as far as Netanyahu and his trials are concerned.
13:07Absolutely. Rohit, do stay with us.
13:09Let's first take our viewers through all the developments that's taken place
13:13over the last 24 hours in this very conflict that we've been covering since day one.
13:19A global spotlight turns to Iran's nuclear sites as we speak.
13:23As tensions between Iran and Israel continue to spiral,
13:26there's confusion over what really happened at Iran's nuclear sites even today.
13:32Now, U.S. President Donald Trump sharply pushed back against a new intelligence assessment
13:37that casts doubt on the claim that American airstrikes
13:41had totally destroyed Iran's nuclear program.
13:45He has also claimed that the conflict between both nations could very soon start again.
13:50Meanwhile, both the UN nuclear chief and global nuke watchdog have warned
13:53that Iran may have moved its enriched uranium even before the attack,
13:59meaning its nuclear program might still be safe.
14:02Now, Israel too, at the same time, has asserted that Iran's enrichment facility,
14:08inoperable with critical nuclear infrastructure being destroyed,
14:12satellite images of three targeted sites in Iran remain inconclusive,
14:16keeping alive the confusion over what really happened at Iran's nuclear sites.
14:21Was this a devastating blow by the United States, as it claims,
14:26or a well-timed bluff by Iran?
14:29That is, to, in fact, be ascertained in the upcoming days as the assessment continues.
14:34But with that, let's quickly take a look at the reactions that's come in so far.
14:38Both tired, exhausted.
14:40They fought very, very hard and very viciously, very violently.
14:45And they were both satisfied to go home and get out.
14:48And can it start again?
14:51I guess someday it can.
14:52It could maybe start soon.
14:54Now, this is also Iran made the statement.
14:57And it's also, if you read the document that was given,
15:00that Pete can talk about if you'd like,
15:02the document said it could be very severe damage.
15:06But they didn't take that.
15:07They said it could be limited or it could be very severe.
15:10They really didn't know, other than to say it could be limited or it could be very, very severe.
15:15And you didn't choose to put that because it was very early after.
15:19Since then, we've collected additional intelligence.
15:22We've also spoken to people who have seen the site.
15:25And the site is obliterated.
15:28We think we hit them so hard and so fast they didn't get to move.
15:31And if you knew about that material, it's very hard and very dangerous to move.
15:34It's called, it's called, in many people, they call it dust.
15:39But it's very, very heavy.
15:40It's very, very hard to move.
15:43And they were way down.
15:44You know, they're 30 stories down.
15:46They're literally 30, 35 stories down underground.
15:49Do you think we got it all?
15:50Oh yeah, we think we got it.
15:51We think it's covered with granite, concrete and steel.
15:57Moving on from West Asia, but continuing to keep our focus on the United States.
16:08More breaking news coming in, wherein President Donald Trump has now come out to target NYC New York City mayoral pick, Mandani.
16:17Now he's called Mandani 100% communist lunatic.
16:21Trump has said, and I quote, this is ridiculous.
16:23Mandani looks terrible.
16:25Mandani won the New York City Democratic mayoral primary.
16:31Mandani has secured 43.5% votes in primary ballot.
16:35That is the breaking news that's coming in.
16:37Let's now, in fact, cut across to Rohit to get more information and details on this.
16:43Rohit, when we speak of Donald Trump and his comments with regards to his political adversaries,
16:50he's never known to be a person who's held back or filtered his language.
16:53And we see another example of that today, we would say.
16:57I mean, look, you know, there's a lot of backstory in this, you know, so one has to understand what's going on in New York, right?
17:07So Eric Adams, the current governor, sorry, mayor of New York City, was in trouble last year.
17:14He was the one who sort of started warming up to President Trump during election last year.
17:19He called out the Biden administration on a number of policies, including housing of, you know,
17:25undocumented immigrants in New York City and how that, you know, was basically not working well within New York City.
17:33So I think he was in corruption charges.
17:37He being Eric Adams.
17:39After President Trump won the election, those charges against Eric Adams were dropped.
17:45Eric Adams has since quit the Democratic Party and is running as an independent.
17:49And then obviously because he's not, he was not in this Democratic primary against Mamdani, Mamdani's won.
17:56And it is, he's probably, he's going to probably go in November and win this election.
18:00So I think President Donald Trump is, you know, in a subtle way, throwing his support behind Eric Adams,
18:08who has found a new fond love with President Donald Trump.
18:11Also the fact that Mamdani has positioned himself as a socialist Democrat.
18:17He's talked about how grocery stores should be run by New York City.
18:20He's talked about a lot of progressive left liberal policies.
18:25which frankly are not, you know, nowhere near where President Trump would want to be.
18:31So I think it is, it is a combination of factors.
18:34I think he's also trying to signal to Eric Adams that he should stay in the race and maybe fight it through.
18:39And as far as Mamdani is concerned, you know, really big win as far as an Indian American is concerned.
18:44But the fact that his, his platform is completely opposite to that of President Trump
18:48is why he's, he's used those words to describe him, including calling him a communist.
18:53Right, Roy, the interesting developments, definitely, that's taking place in New York City at this given point.
19:00And we will keep a track of that. Roy, thank you so much for bringing us all those details.
19:04With that, viewers, we bring to you more breaking news from the SCO Summit that is currently underway.
19:09Rajnath Singh is speaking at the summit.
19:11Let's listen in to what is being said by the Defense Minister.
19:14It provides shelter to terrorists.
19:18There should be no place for such double standards.
19:22SCO should not hesitate to criticize such nations.
19:27India's zero tolerance for terrorism is manifest today through its actions.
19:33This includes our right to defend ourselves against terrorism.
19:37And we have shown that epicenters of terrorism are no longer safe and we will not hesitate to target them.
19:47We should also take proactive steps to prevent the spread of the radicalization among our youth.
19:55The riots mechanism of SCO has played a significant role in this regard.
20:01The joint statement of the Council of SCO heads of state on countering radicalization leading to terrorism, separatism, and extremism issued during India chairmanship symbolizes our shared commitment.
20:19Excellencies, we should seek to counter the technology used by terrorists, including drones for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs.
20:28In our interconnected world, traditional borders are no longer the sole barriers against threats, and instead, we face an intricate web of challenges that range from transnational terrorism and cyber attacks to hybrid warfare.
20:50These threats do not respect national boundaries, and they demand a unified response rooted in transparency, mutual trust, and collaboration.
21:03India reaffirms its resolve to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
21:09On 22nd April, 2025, the terror group, the resistance front, carried out a dust early and a heinous attack on the innocent tourists in Pahlagam, in the Indian state of the Jammu and Kashmir.
21:3026 innocent civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed.
21:37Victims were shot after they were profiled based on the religious identity.
21:46The resistance front, which is a proxy of UN-designated terror group Laskare Toiva, claimed the responsibility for the attack.
21:54The pattern of the Pahlagam terror attack matches with ELIT's previous terror attacks in India.
22:03In exercising its right to defend against terrorism and pre-impt as well as data further cross-border terrorist attacks,
22:12India, on 7th May 2025, successfully launched Operation Sindhu to dismantle cross-border terrorist infrastructure.
22:23We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers, and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism,
22:38including cross-border terrorism, accountable, and bring them to justice.
22:43Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever, and by whom so, ever committed.
22:57Yeshua members must condemn this evil unequivocally.
23:04Excellency, India is committed to increasing its connectivity with the Central Asia.
23:08Better connectivity not only enhances mutual trade, but also fosters mutual trust.
23:16However, in these efforts, it is essential to uphold the basic principles of the SEO charter,
23:24particularly respecting the sovereignty and the traditional integrity of member states.
23:29India has been consistent and steadfast in its policy in support of peace, security, and stability in Afghanistan.
23:40Our immediate priorities in Afghanistan include providing humanitarian assistance to Afghan people
23:48and contributing to Afghanistan's overall developmental needs.
23:53As Afghanistan's largest regional development partner, India continues to implement capacity-building initiatives for the Afghan people.
24:06Excellency, the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the fact that the pandemics recognize no boundaries
24:15and that no one is safe till everyone is safe.
24:19This is a warning sign of how non-traditional security challenges like pandemics, climate change,
24:29food and water security, and associated societal disruption can impact our people's lives.
24:39These emerging challenges cannot be addressed without responsible policies and cooperation among nations.
24:46India's initiative on coalition for disaster resilient infrastructure aims not only at promotion of disaster resilient infrastructure,
24:58but also infrastructure risk management, standards, financing and recovery, etc.
25:06It is also an example of how countries are coming together to create and share capabilities to deal with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
25:18We have affirmed this intent through our policy, through the acronym SAGAR,
25:25which implies security and growth for all in the realm,
25:30and India's expanded vision, Mahasagar, meaning mutual and holistic advancement for security and growth across regions.
25:41Security and stability are most essential components to create a conducive environment for growth and economic development of the region.
25:52India has sought to build consensus on dealing with global challenges on the basis of motto,
25:59One Earth, One Family, One Future, which is founded on our civilizational ethos of Basudhai Vakutumbakam.
26:08The world is one family.
26:11Mutual understanding and mutual benefit must be our guiding principles.
26:16We should collectively aspire to fulfill the aspirations and expectations of our people as well as tackle today's challenges.
26:34We must all be in lockstep in our endeavor in strengthening stability and security in our neighborhood.
26:43Excellency, I am optimistic that the two-day discussions would help us to deepen the understanding of our shared security challenges
26:53and explore new areas for future cooperation in the defense and the security field.
27:00Thank you very much, Excellency.
27:01Well, that was Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the SCO Summit,
27:18and he has, in fact, spoken about the Pahalgam terror attack at length, as was expected from this very meeting.
27:27And he has, in fact, come out to speak about India's counterterrorism measures and how there was, in fact, a direct hit at Pakistan with regards to terrorist groups.
27:39And he has also said that SCO members must all come together to tackle terrorism on a global platform.
27:45That is what is required at this given point.
27:48In fact, he has also spoken about mutual trust among the SCO members for tackling world problems, also global problems at this given point.
27:57Two initiatives that have been spoken about, Sagar and Mahasagar, acronyms, in this very matter.
28:04And with that, let me also bring in Pranay Upadhyay in the conversation to throw some more light on what's been said by Rajnath Singh in Qingdao, in China, for the SCO Summit.
28:15Pranay, we just heard Rajnath Singh address the very SCO Summit.
28:21Very strong remarks and a strong opening with regards to India and its counterterrorism measures, as well as the Pahalgam attack being referred to.
28:30The SCO, which is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, is a regional cooperation organization.
28:40But India as a member state has suffered, you know, cross-border terrorism curtsy to another member state, Pakistan.
28:47Without referring to the name of Pakistan, but Rajnath Singh, the Indian Defense Minister, made a very strong remark that if SCO want to achieve the full potential of regional cooperation,
28:58this cannot happen, the multilateralism cannot happen without addressing the key issue of terrorism,
29:04which is directly associated with the safety and security of the national SCO, has an important role to play.
29:11But this cannot be achieved if the member state, you know, some of the member states keep applying, you know,
29:18and keep pursuing the policy of terrorism as a state policy, as part of the foreign policy tool.
29:23So, therefore, there was a reference about the 22nd April 2025, a Pahalgam terror attack, as well,
29:29where he mentioned about the resistance force, which has carried out this attack.
29:35And this TRF, we know, Shreya, that it is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba, which is a band outfit.
29:41And the chief of and mastermind of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hafiz Saeed, resides in Pakistan.
29:49And so far, like, he has been, he's, you know, guilty.
29:54He's charged for many, you know, terror attacks.
29:57But he has not been prosecuted by Pakistan.
30:01He has not been, like, you know, behind the bars in Pakistan.
30:04And that remains an issue.
30:06And he also mentioned that under the UN Charter, India is, India has a right to defend itself.
30:15And that's why the Operation Sindhur was carried out by India to address the issue of terrorism
30:21and to make those who are harboring terrorists, those who are perpetrating, you know, the terror attacks,
30:27should be punished.
30:28And that's why the Operation Sindhur was launched and to dismantle the cross-border terrorist infrastructure.
30:35And that's why India has reiterated that the perpetrator, organizers and the financers and sponsors of the terror attack
30:43need to pay and the cross-border terrorism cannot be justified in any way.
30:50Absolutely, Pranay.
30:51He's been very articulate with regards to how this nurturing terrorism, what we have seen in the past,
30:58that needs to stop and dialogue and this nurturing terrorism cannot be going together hand-in-hand,
31:05especially targeting Pakistan at the same time.
31:07With that, let's listen in as we speak of what's been said by Rajnath Singh.
31:10Let's listen in to his remarks and accept from the very address that he just delivered.
31:15I believe that the biggest challenges that we are facing in our region are related to peace, security, and trust deficit.
31:30And the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalization, extremism, and terrorism.
31:37Peace and prosperity cannot co-exist with terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction
31:46in the hands of the non-state actors and the terror groups.
31:52Dealing with these challenges require decisive action and we must unite in our fight against these evils
31:59for our collective safety and security.
32:02It is imperative that those who sponsor, nurture, and utilize terrorism for their narrow and selfish sins
32:11must bear the consequences.
32:15Some countries use cross-border terrorism as an instrument of policy
32:19and provide shelter to terrorists.
32:23There should be no place for such double standards.
32:28Yes, you should not hesitate to criticize such nations.
32:32With that, while we keep a track of the developments from the SCO Summit,
32:49let's also take you through another story which has gained momentum.
32:53Since yesterday, in fact, after multiple delays,
32:56the Axiom 4 mission carrying India's Shubhanshu Shukla
33:00has successfully lifted off from Florida to go to the International Space Station.
33:05While history has been made with Shubhanshu's space sojourn,
33:09all eyes are now on the Dragon spacecraft's docking.
33:13The docking will in fact be taking place on the Harmony module around 4.30pm today.
33:18It will happen in two phases.
33:20As we know, the journey from the launch to docking will take roughly around 29 hours.
33:24And the two-phase docking will be minimizing the misalignment and collision risk
33:30and it also enables stable docking in microgravity.
33:35Now, it also supports safe automated operations without the cruise intervention required.
33:41Shubhanshu Shukla, who is the man in charge,
33:44will keep a keen eye on the trajectory and the movement of the space station for docking.
33:48Remember, the Ax4 quartet will spend about two weeks in space
33:53where they will be conducting close to 60 science experiments,
33:57including experiments on edible microalgae in microgravity,
34:01speed sprouting for space nutrition and muscle regeneration study.
34:06At the SCO summit, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who is in attendance,
34:10has already addressed the summit now with opening remarks attacking Pakistan's terrorism.
34:17Now, Rajnath Singh has said the terrorists killed innocents in Pelgham,
34:22says India stands against cross-border terrorism.
34:25He's also said, and I quote, demolished Park Terror in Operation Sindhur
34:30and must unite in fight against terrorism.
34:33Yet again, we see India coming out to speak up on a global platform
34:39against terrorism and cross-border terrorism, more importantly,
34:44and how there needs to be put an end,
34:48and a decisive end to this very terrorism being nurtured by certain nations.
34:53Let's take a look at what exactly has been said in this excerpt from the address.
35:00We will bring to you that very excerpt, but yes, Rajnath Singh,
35:04the Defence Minister who's arrived earlier in Qingdao, China, for the SCO summit.
35:09And we had, in fact, expected him to bring this up.
35:12This was one of the main agendas for India to be laid down at the SCO summit.
35:17The counter-terrorism measures that India has been up and about,
35:22and how Operation Sindhur has, in fact, put a decisive end to that very,
35:27and it's put quite a dent in the terrorists that were terrorist organizations
35:32that were nurtured by the neighboring nation.
35:36Let's take a look at this very reaction that we have.
35:39In April 2025, the terror group, the resistance front,
35:48carried out a dust early and a heinous attack
35:52on the innocent tourists in Pahalagam,
35:56in the Indian state of the Jumbo and Kashmir.
35:59Twenty-six innocent civilians, including a Nepali national, were killed.
36:06Victims were shot after they were profiled based on the religious identity.
36:15The resistance front, which is a proxy of UN-designated terror group,
36:19Laskare Toiba, claimed responsibility for the attack.
36:23The pattern of the Pahalagam terror attack matches with ELIT's previous terror attacks in India.
36:32In exercising its right to defend against terrorism
36:35and pre-impt as well as data further cross-border terrorist attacks,
36:41India on 7th May 2025 successfully launched Operation Sindhur
36:47to dismantle cross-border terrorist infrastructure.
36:52We reiterate the need to hold the perpetrators, organizers, financiers,
37:00and sponsors of reprehensible acts of terrorism,
37:06including cross-border terrorism, accountable and bring them to justice.
37:11Any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable,
37:17regardless of their motivation, whenever, wherever,
37:21and by whom so ever committed.
37:26Your show members must condemn this evil unequivocally.
37:32With that, we are cutting across to Zhao Yunfei, CGTN reporter,
37:36who is coming in live from Zheungdao, China.
37:39Zhao, a very good morning to you from India.
37:42Thank you for speaking to us at India today.
37:45My very first question to you would be with regards to
37:48our Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's address, the opening remarks.
37:52He's been very, it's a very strong-worded remark, I would say,
37:56especially against terrorism and certain countries nurturing terrorism
38:00and how there is no scope of dialogue with such countries.
38:04Well, certainly we're here right outside of the conference centre,
38:10where most of the press organisations are gathering over here,
38:14so we won't be able to see live what's happening inside,
38:18but we do know that one of the major concerns
38:20is certainly anti-terrorism from the Indian side.
38:25So certainly the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
38:28is a platform when it comes to anti-terrorism.
38:32I spoke with a lot of guests and experts,
38:35including the Secretary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation,
38:40Secretary General Yermit Baghev,
38:42and he also mentioned about anti-terrorism.
38:45But certainly there are also many other agendas
38:47on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
38:49Certainly this is the organisation that got started
38:52with the security cooperation,
38:56but certainly there are a different multiple range
38:58of fields of cooperation among different countries.
39:01So I think this is also a very rare opportunity
39:05for the Indian defence minister Singh to come over to Beijing.
39:10And Beijing is really looking forward to host this platform
39:16and create more opportunity from the Indian side
39:20to speak with other SCO member countries.
39:23Right. You know, Shaul, before we move on to the other agendas,
39:27let's also quickly take a word in from you
39:30with regards to Khwaja Asif,
39:32the defence minister of Pakistan,
39:35is also at this very summit.
39:37What are we picking up in terms of the sense we are getting
39:41as a reaction to what's already been said
39:43by the Indian defence minister in his opening remarks
39:46against terrorism?
39:50Well, I think it's a very unique opportunity
39:54when it comes to, you know,
39:57gather both the defence minister from India
40:01and the defence minister from Pakistan.
40:04Also, given the fact that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
40:07is a place for cooperation and for dialogue mechanism,
40:13so certainly when we are having this very unique
40:17and rare opportunity, it's a great chance
40:21for the two sides to sit together.
40:22I believe that the agenda is way more than anti-terrorism.
40:27There are many other fields of cooperation
40:29that people can discuss.
40:30Of course, anti-terrorism is important,
40:33but certainly at this moment,
40:35the leaders are also talking about the ongoing fights,
40:40both in Ukraine as well as many fights in the Middle East.
40:44So certainly that improved, that shows the complexity
40:49and the importance for the people to sit down
40:52and have the cooperation to have a friendly manner.
40:57Right.
40:57Now my next question to you would be with regards
40:59to the bilateral meeting on the sidelines
41:01that we're expecting between India and China.
41:04You know, especially after Galwan Clash,
41:07we would be seeing this as one of the first high-order meet
41:11that's happening between India and China,
41:14and also the fact that the de-escalation
41:18that we have seen along the LAC,
41:20whether that is sustainable,
41:21it will be a litmus test for that as well.
41:24How are we looking at that very bilateral meet?
41:26Yeah, we're seeing good news between China and India,
41:31especially when there is a settlement over the border issue,
41:36as well as the two heads of state
41:39really have a great conversation.
41:41So certainly China and India are looking,
41:45going on a way backtrack.
41:47And after the negotiation,
41:49the settlement of the disputes between the two countries,
41:53we certainly are seeing many different layers
41:56of military dialogue between the two countries.
42:00And I think this is also one of the most significant ones.
42:04I think that's also another reason
42:05why the Indian defense minister is saying
42:08we'll really come to Qingdao, the city,
42:11the eastern China's coastal city,
42:13to attend the S.O. meeting,
42:15to meet with his Chinese counterpart,
42:17as well as other S.O. member counterparts.
42:19Rajal, thank you so much for joining us on India Today
42:23and putting things into perspective,
42:25as well as bringing us China's perspective
42:28on this very matter
42:29and the agenda that's been pushed by India,
42:31which is zero tolerance towards terrorism
42:33at this very global platform.
42:35With that, viewers,
42:36let's quickly take you through the remarks
42:38that's coming from Rajnath Singh at this given point,
42:41one that we are focusing upon.
42:46India's zero tolerance for terrorism
42:48is manifest today through its actions.
42:52This includes our right
42:54to defend ourselves against terrorism.
42:57And we have shown that
42:58epicenters of terrorism
43:00are no longer safe
43:02and we will not hesitate to target them.
43:06We should also take proactive steps
43:08to prevent the spread of the radicalization
43:11among our youth.
43:14The riots mechanism of S.O.
43:17has played a significant role in this regard.
43:21The joint statement of the Council of S.O.
43:23heads of state
43:25on countering radicalization
43:27leading to terrorism,
43:29separatism,
43:30and extremism
43:32issued during India chairmanship
43:34symbolizes our shared commitment.
43:37Excellency,
43:39we should seek to counter
43:40the technology used by terrorists
43:43including drones
43:44for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs.
43:49In our interconnected world,
43:51traditional borders
43:53are no longer the sole barriers
43:55against threats
43:56and instead
43:58we face
43:59an intricate
44:00web of challenges
44:02that range from
44:03transnational terrorism
44:05and cyber attacks
44:06to hybrid warfare.
44:10These threats
44:11do not
44:11respect
44:12national boundaries
44:13and they demand
44:15a unified response
44:16rooted in transparency,
44:18mutual trust,
44:19and collaboration.
44:21India reaffirms
44:22its resolve
44:23to fight terrorism
44:25in all its forms
44:26and manifestations.
44:30Excellency,
44:30I believe
44:31that the biggest challenges
44:32that we are facing
44:34in our region
44:35are related to peace,
44:38security,
44:39and trust deficit.
44:41And the root cause
44:42of these problems
44:43is increasing
44:45radicalization,
44:46extremism,
44:47and terrorism.
44:49Excellency,
44:50peace and prosperity
44:52cannot coexist
44:53with terrorism
44:54and proliferation
44:56and proliferation
44:56of weapons
44:56of the mass destruction
44:58in the hands
44:59of the non-state actors
45:01and the terror groups.
45:03Dealing with these challenges
45:05require decisive action
45:07and we must unite
45:08in our fight
45:09against these evils
45:11for our collective safety
45:13and security.
45:14It is imperative
45:16that those who
45:17sponsor,
45:19nurture,
45:19and utilize terrorism
45:21for their narrow
45:22and selfishness
45:23must bear
45:24the consequences.
45:26Some countries
45:27use cross-border terrorism
45:29as an instrument
45:30of policy
45:30and provide shelter
45:32to terrorists.
45:35There should be
45:35no place
45:36for such double standards.
45:39Yes,
45:39you should not hesitate
45:40to criticize
45:41such nations.
45:44With that,
45:44we are now cutting across
45:45to Pranay Upadhyay
45:46who is joining us
45:47on the broadcast.
45:48Pranay,
45:48very good morning to you.
45:50We just heard
45:51what Rajnath Singh
45:52had to say,
45:53the Defence Minister
45:54at the SCO Summit,
45:56in the opening remarks.
45:57And as we were
45:58discussing earlier,
45:59the agenda
46:00for India
46:01is definitely
46:02one of the main
46:03agendas,
46:04is definitely
46:05counter-terrorism
46:06and zero tolerance
46:07towards terrorism,
46:08especially cross-border
46:09terrorism
46:10at this given point.
46:10But, you know,
46:11interestingly,
46:12let's also take a look
46:13at this,
46:14that at this point,
46:15this seems to be
46:16one of the
46:17first global platforms
46:19where both
46:20Indian Defence Minister
46:21as well as the
46:22Pakistani Defence Ministers
46:23are attending.
46:24So, we will also
46:25be keeping a close
46:26watch as to how
46:26Khwaja Asif has to
46:27react to this very
46:28comments coming in
46:30from India.
46:33Good morning, Shreya.
46:34And you are
46:35absolutely right
46:36that this is
46:37for the first time,
46:38you know,
46:38at a time when
46:39Operation Sindhu
46:40is still on,
46:41both Indian and
46:42Pakistani Defence
46:43Minister would be
46:43attending one event
46:45and that to be in
46:45China.
46:46But, from the
46:47soil of China,
46:48the Defence
46:49Minister has
46:50significantly,
46:51he not only
46:52highlighted this
46:53issue,
46:54he has also
46:55called upon the
46:56member state to
46:57isolate and
46:58identify and
46:59shed off the
47:00duplicity of
47:00standards as far
47:01as the
47:02counter-terrorism
47:02is concerned.
47:03He mentioned
47:03the RATS,
47:04which is the
47:05regional anti-terror
47:06mechanism as
47:07part of the
47:09SCU mechanism
47:10as part of the
47:11SCU structure
47:11to efficiently
47:12work and to
47:13address this
47:14issue because
47:15the SCU,
47:15which is called
47:16Shanghai Cooperation
47:17Organization,
47:18if that
47:18organization has
47:20to work
47:20efficiently,
47:21it needs to
47:22address the
47:22issue of
47:23terrorism,
47:24cross-border
47:24terrorism,
47:24which poses
47:25challenges for
47:27the multilateralism,
47:28for the regional
47:29cooperation,
47:30and safety and
47:31security, if not
47:33addressed, cannot
47:33lead to the
47:35wider regional
47:36cooperation.
47:37And that's why
47:37he has highlighted
47:38his address not
47:40only highlights the
47:41issue of
47:41Pahlkam terror
47:42attack, Operation
47:43Sindhu, cross-border
47:45terrorism, but also
47:46he has called on
47:47the member state to
47:48address the issue
47:49of perpetrators,
47:50those who harbor
47:51terrorists, and
47:52those, even, he
47:54did not name
47:55Pakistan as a
47:56member state, as a
47:57country, but he
47:58highlighted this
47:59issue by saying
48:00that those who
48:02pursue, those who
48:03protect, those who
48:03fund, you know,
48:04fund, the
48:05perpetrators of
48:07terrorists need to
48:08be called upon,
48:09they need to be
48:09isolated, and this
48:11issue need to be
48:12addressed.
48:13So this becomes
48:14very important.
48:15He also called
48:16upon the member
48:16state to act and
48:18highlight the issue
48:19of, you know,
48:20Pahlkam terror
48:21attack, which was
48:21a heinous terror
48:22attack carried out
48:24by TRF, one of
48:25the offshoot of
48:26Lashkar-e-Toyba.
48:27Lashkar-e-Toyba is
48:28an organization which
48:28is based out of
48:29Pakistan, whose
48:31mastermind, whose
48:32founder, Hafiz
48:33side is still in
48:34Pakistan.
48:35So this clearly
48:36shows that, you
48:37know, how
48:37particularly Indian
48:38side, Indian
48:39Defense Minister
48:40has erased the
48:41issue of
48:42terrorism from the
48:43Forum of
48:44Shanghai Cooperation
48:45Organization.
48:47Also share, this
48:49is significant
48:50because Indian
48:51Defense Minister is
48:52visiting China.
48:54We all know
48:55that how China
48:56held, you know,
48:58the Chinese
48:58aircraft, Chinese
48:59military hardware
49:00was used by
49:02Pakistan during
49:03the Ob-Sindur
49:03conflict and
49:04that's why
49:05Indian Defense
49:06Minister from the
49:07Chinese soil
49:08calling upon the
49:09member state to
49:10act decisively
49:11against the
49:12duplicity to
49:13eliminate the
49:13radicalism, to
49:14eliminate terrorism
49:15is important.
49:17Also, bilaterally,
49:17if you see, this
49:19is for the first
49:19time, Indian and
49:20Chinese Defense
49:21Ministers would be
49:22meeting post-Galwan
49:23conflict in the last
49:25five years.
49:26This is for the
49:26first time they
49:27would be meeting on
49:27the Chinese soil,
49:28though they did
49:29meet in Russia and
49:31other places, but
49:32this is for the
49:32first time Indian
49:33Defense Minister is
49:34visiting China.
49:35So, from the
49:36bilateral context
49:37as well, this
49:38meeting, his
49:39visit becomes very
49:40important.
49:41Absolutely, Pranay,
49:42thank you for in
49:43fact bringing us
49:45all those details
49:46and throwing light
49:47on not just the
49:48importance of this
49:49very SCO summit,
49:50but also the
49:51interpretation of
49:52what has been
49:53said by Rajnath
49:55Singh and what
49:56can its implications
49:57be both from the
49:58Pakistani side as
49:59well as the
49:59Chinese side as
50:00the SCO summit
50:01continues.
50:05With that, we are
50:06now shifting our
50:07focus to a story
50:08closer.
50:09Home is the
50:10exit of Shashi
50:11Tharoor from
50:12Congress all but
50:13final.
50:14Congress MP
50:15Tharoor shared a
50:15cryptic message on
50:17social media,
50:18hinting at a
50:18change mid
50:19differences with
50:21the Congress.
50:22Minutes after
50:22Congress President
50:24Malik Arjun Karge
50:25took a swipe at
50:26him for his
50:27repeated praises
50:28for the Prime
50:29Minister Narendra
50:29Modi.
50:30Now the veteran
50:31Congress leader in
50:32the post has
50:33shared a quote
50:33and I in fact
50:35bring to you
50:35that very quote,
50:36do not ask
50:37permission to
50:38fly, the wings
50:39are yours and
50:40the sky belongs
50:41to no one.
50:42He shared the
50:43post on social
50:44media just
50:44minutes after
50:45Congress President
50:46took a dig at
50:47him saying that
50:47for some Modi
50:49comes first and
50:50the nation
50:51comes later,
50:52while for
50:52Congress it is
50:53always nation
50:55first.
50:55that is the
50:56particular quote
50:57that has come
50:57in.
50:58But with that,
50:59let's also take
51:00you through what
51:00exactly had been
51:02said by Shashi
51:03Tharoor only in
51:03the recent time,
51:04two days back,
51:05wherein the
51:05attack by
51:06Karge has come
51:07in days after
51:08Tharoor in an
51:09editorial praised
51:10Prime Minister
51:11Modi as the
51:12prime asset for
51:13India, lauding
51:14his energy,
51:15his dynamism and
51:17global engagement
51:18and even urged
51:19greater backing
51:20for Modi's
51:21diplomacy.
51:22Listen in.
51:22what has changed
51:26in recent years
51:27is that the
51:28terrorists have
51:29also realized
51:30they will have
51:32a price to pay.
51:34On that,
51:35let there be no
51:35doubt.
51:37When for the
51:38first time India
51:39breached the line
51:41of control between
51:43India and Pakistan
51:44to conduct a
51:45surgical strike on
51:47a terror base,
51:48a launch pad,
51:49the Uri strike
51:51in September
51:522015,
51:54that was already
51:55something we had
51:57not done before.
51:57Even during the
51:58Kargil war,
51:59we had not crossed
52:00the line of control.
52:01In Uri we did.
52:03Then came the
52:05attack in Pulwama
52:06in January 2019.
52:08This time we
52:09crossed not only
52:10the line of control,
52:11we crossed the
52:11international border
52:12and we struck
52:13the terrorist
52:14headquarters in
52:16Balakot.
52:17I'm still wiping
52:17the egg off my
52:18face because I
52:20was the one
52:21person in the
52:21parliamentary debate
52:22who actually
52:23criticized the
52:24Indian position
52:25at the time
52:26back in February
52:2722 on the
52:28well-worn grounds
52:29that Espen will
52:30understand because
52:30he and I talked
52:31about all this
52:32in my UN days
52:32that there was
52:33a violation of
52:34the UN Charter,
52:35that there had
52:36been a violation
52:37of the principle
52:38of the inviolability
52:39of borders,
52:40of the sovereignty
52:41of another state
52:42namely Ukraine,
52:43and we had always
52:44stood for the
52:44inadmissibility
52:45of the use of
52:46force to settle
52:47international disputes
52:48and all of those
52:49principles I said
52:50had been violated
52:51by one party
52:51and we should have
52:52condemned it.
52:53Well, a couple of
52:54years later,
52:55three years later,
52:56it does look like
52:57I'm the one with
52:57the egg on my face
52:58because clearly
52:59the policy has meant
53:00that India has
53:01actually a prime
53:03minister who can
53:03hug both the
53:04president of Ukraine
53:05and the president
53:05of Moscow two weeks
53:07apart and be
53:08accepted in both
53:09places.
53:10So far I must say
53:11that what we've seen
53:11from the press
53:13statements by both
53:14the prime minister
53:15and by president
53:15Trump are very
53:17encouraging because
53:18it looks like some
53:19of the big concerns
53:20we all had have
53:21been addressed.
53:22For example,
53:23on the question of
53:24trade and tariffs,
53:25they've decided to
53:26sit down together
53:27and do a serious
53:28negotiation that
53:29will conclude by the
53:30fall, which is the
53:31autumn, September,
53:32October of this year.
53:33I think that's a very
53:34good outcome because
53:35otherwise the fear was
53:36there might be some
53:37hasty decisions made
53:38in Washington which
53:40would have affected
53:40our exports.
53:41This way there is
53:42time to discuss
53:43and negotiate.
53:44I welcome that.
53:46Now we're being
53:46joined by Ahmed
53:47Pardwaj on the
53:48broadcast to bring
53:49us more details
53:50and the latest
53:51that we're picking
53:52up on this very
53:53conundrum.
53:54Ahmed, a very good
53:54morning to you.
53:55We have been
53:56witnessing the
53:58tension between
53:59Shashi Tharoor
54:00and the Congress
54:01Party but now it
54:02seems to be all out
54:03in the open because
54:05there are direct
54:06attacks that's being
54:07taken place.
54:07There are no more
54:08veil digs.
54:09Shri, you know,
54:15you would remember
54:15as to when Shashi
54:17Tharoor was part of
54:18that multi-party
54:19delegation on
54:20diplomatic mission,
54:21you know, to
54:21expose Pakistan and
54:23to explain India's
54:24position on
54:25Operation Sindhur.
54:26There have been
54:27very critical voices
54:28coming from the
54:29Congress Party.
54:30It was primarily
54:30led by leaders such
54:32as Odet Raj and
54:33Pawan Khaira or
54:34Jaram Ramesh
54:34endorsing those
54:35critical comments
54:36against Mr.
54:37Tharoor.
54:37But eventually it
54:39was told or
54:40positioning was
54:41taken by the
54:41Congress Party
54:42leadership that
54:42everything has
54:43been sorted out
54:44after an
54:44explanation given
54:45by Mr.
54:46Tharoor.
54:47But now because
54:48these praises for
54:49Prime Minister Modi
54:50from Mr.
54:51Tharoor is not
54:52stopping, you
54:54know, you don't
54:55see any
54:55inconsistency there
54:56and that is why
54:57the comments that
54:58have also come
54:59from the Congress
55:00President himself,
55:01Mr.
55:02Malikar Jinn
55:02Karge, that
55:03itself is something
55:04that would, you
55:06know, indicate at
55:06a much bigger
55:07trouble possibly
55:08for Tharoor in
55:10this particular
55:10case.
55:11And the Congress
55:12MP getting a
55:14word, a clear
55:15signal from the
55:16Congress President
55:16as well that for
55:18Congress Party, the
55:19country is priority
55:20and Mr.
55:21Tharoor has been
55:22praising someone in
55:23the past as well
55:23and he keeps on
55:24doing it.
55:25So it is up to
55:26him what he
55:27prefers but for
55:28Congress Party
55:29country comes
55:29first.
55:30So that statement
55:31itself, you know,
55:32could be decoded in
55:34several other
55:35manners as well
55:36as far as
55:37politics is
55:38concerned.
55:39The Kerala
55:39Assembly elections
55:40are not far off.
55:41So is it, you
55:42know, beginning or
55:43indication at
55:44much bigger
55:45political changes
55:47that the state
55:48could see or
55:49whether this
55:50storm will also
55:50pass by that
55:52is to be seen
55:52in the next
55:53coming days.
55:54Back to you.