Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) condemned the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and demanded that those behind the violence be brought to justice.

"The Member States strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice," reads the declaration.

The statement also underlined that double standards on terrorism were not acceptable, a message that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also stressed in his address earlier in the day. "The Member States strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stress that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and call on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists…," the declaration said.

Ahead of PM Modi’s visit to China for the summit, the external affairs ministry had said that India expected strong condemnation of the April attack, which killed 26 civilians.

India had also pressed for cross-border terrorism to be specifically included in the joint declarations and documents adopted by the ten-member SCO. Pakistan is part of the bloc, along with Russia and China.

India has consistently spoken out against terrorism and against those providing shelter to it. At the SCO Summit, Prime Minister Modi made terrorism a central issue in his speech and reiterated that “no double standards” would be tolerated on this matter.

“In the fight against terrorism, India stands firm on unity, and the SCO has an important role,” PM Modi said, adding that any kind of double standard is not acceptable on the issue of terror.

Without naming Pakistan directly, PM Modi also pointed to “some nations” openly supporting terrorism. Indian leaders, including the Prime Minister, have repeatedly accused Pakistan of harbouring terrorist groups, making clear that New Delhi does not distinguish between terrorists and those who back them.

More than a month after the Pahalgam attack, PM Modi had accused Pakistan of waging war through terrorism. “While India believes in tourism, Pakistan considers terrorism as tourism, which is very dangerous for the world. I want to ask the people of Pakistan, what have you achieved? Today, India is the fourth-largest economy in the world. But what is your situation? Those who promoted terrorism have destroyed your future,” he had said in May.

He had also appealed to the people of Pakistan to choose peace and take part in the effort to eliminate terrorism.