Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on a visit to Kyrgyzstan for the SCO meeting

Rajnath Singh met with the defence ministers of China and Russia

(SCO – Shanghai Cooperation Organisation)

New Delhi : Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The two sides discussed maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and exchanged views on broader regional security issues, including the West Asia situation, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India posted on social media platform X. On Tuesday (April 28, 2026), while addressing the SCO gathering, Mr. Singh described terrorism as the most serious threat to global peace and the emerging world order. Emphasising a policy of zero tolerance, the Minister called for a unified and consistent approach among member states to eliminate terrorism, extremism and radicalism in all forms.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Mr. Singh also held discussions with his counterparts from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, focusing on strengthening defence cooperation and expanding strategic ties with partner countries.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, established in 2001 in Shanghai, is one of the largest regional organisations promoting political, economic and security cooperation. Its member states include India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. India became a full member of the grouping in 2017, and assumed its rotating presidency in 2022-23, underlining its growing role in regional security and multilateral cooperation.