In line with India's diplomatic offensive against Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to press the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to ramp up efforts to contain terrorism at a two-day conclave of the bloc in China's Qingdao that begins on Wednesday.Singh is travelling to Qingdao, a port city in China's eastern Shandong province, for the conclave which is expected to extensively deliberate on the evolving regional security scenario.The defence minister's plan to call for greater regional cooperation to counter terrorism comes nearly a month-and-a-half after India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistani territories in response to the horrific Pahalgam terror attack.It is the first visit to China by a senior Indian minister after the ties came under severe strain following the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh that began in May 2020.It said the defence minister is also expected to stress on the need for greater trade, economic cooperation and connectivity within SCO.He will also hold bilateral meetings with the defence ministers of some participating countries, including China and Russia.
