SCO condemns Pahalgam terror attack after Modi discusses cross-border terrorism with Xi Jinping

Mentioning the attack, the member states expressed "deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded".

The member states said attempts to use terrorists, separatists and extremist groups for mercenary purposes and "double standards" in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, NDTV reported.

Earlier, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misry said PM Modi had raised the matter of cross-border terrorism in the bilateral meeting with Jinping and China has vowed to support its neighbour on this issue.

"The issue of cross-border terrorism was raised by the Prime Minister and he outlined his understanding very crisply and very specifically. He outlined the fact that this is a scourge that both China and India have been victims of, and India is still combating this menace, and he asked for China's support on this particular issue. As I said, the Chinese have extended their support in various ways on addressing this issue," Misry told the press.

Modi arrived in China for the first time in seven years and held bilateral talks with Xi Jinping, an episode showing improvement in ties between the world's most populated nations in the backdrop of the 50 percent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on India.

Interestingly, the Pahalgam attack was not mentioned in the document during the SCO Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao in June this year.

India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had refused to sign the document which had included the Balochistan unrest obliquely accusing India of causing the situation prevailing in the Pakistani region despite New Delhi's repeated rejection of its involvement.

Modi's visit to China is a significant step marking normalisation in ties between the two nations that were strongly hit after the 2020 Galwan clash.

PM Modi's last visit to China was in 2019.

However, he had met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2024.

The visit comes amid the imposition of stiff tariffs by US President Donald Trump and increasing pressure on India regarding oil purchases from Russia.

Modi-Xi meeting

PM Modi met Jinping in Tianjin on Sunday and said he is "committed" to taking India-China relations "forward based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity".

Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit that begins on Sunday.

During the meeting, PM Modi also said an "atmosphere of peace and stability" has been created after the disengagement on the border.

"Last year in Kazan, we had very fruitful discussions, which gave a positive direction to our relations. After the disengagement on the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability has been created," he said.

Modi also spoke about the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights between the two countries.

"The interests of 2.8 billion people of both countries are linked to our cooperation. This will also pave the way for the welfare of the entire humanity," he said.