New Delhi, Apr 28: Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm resolve that “terror epicentres” are no longer immune to “justifiable punishment”, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday, in remarks widely seen as a warning to Pakistan over cross-border terrorism.

In an address at a conclave of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Bishkek, Singh also called on the influential grouping to not lose sight of “state-sponsored” cross-border terrorism and that there should not be any place for any “double standards” in combating the menace.

Delving into ongoing conflicts and geopolitical upheavals, Singh said that the “real test of power” is not in using it against the poor and the weak, but to use it in the interest of those who are unable to defend themselves.

There is a need to focus on global consensus where “co-existence, co-habitation and compassion take precedence over chaos, competition and conflict”, he said.

The defence minister emphasised that the SCO should not hesitate in seeking appropriate action against those who “abet, shelter and provide safe havens” to terrorists.

“We must not lose sight of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism which attacks the very sovereignty of a nation state. There is no place for any double standards and SCO should not hesitate in seeking appropriate action against those who abet, shelter and provide safe havens to terrorists,” he said.

Singh strongly pitched for a unified front to tackle the “evils” of terrorism, separatism and extremism.

“By tackling terrorism, separatism, and extremism without exception, we (can) transform regional security from a challenge into a cornerstone for peace and prosperity,” he said in presence of defence ministers from China, Russia and other member states of the grouping.

The defence minister described terrorism as the the “most serious threat” to the emerging world order and noted that counter-terror cooperation has been a “foundational principle” of the SCO.

“On April 22, we remembered the victims of the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The carnage in Pahalgam shook the entire humanity,” he said.

“During Operation Sindoor, we demonstrated our firm resolve that terrorism epicentres are no longer immune to justifiable punishment,” he added.

Singh also recalled the declaration unveiled at last year’s SCO summit in Chinese city of Tianjin saying it brought out firm and collective stance against terrorism.

“It was a testimony to our zero-tolerance outlook towards terrorism and its perpetrators, which was endorsed by this esteemed forum. But the real test of our collective credibility remains in consistency,” he said.

“We must not forget that terrorism has no nationality and no theology. No grievance, real or supposed, can become an excuse for terrorism and humanitarian loss,” he said.

The defence minister highlighted the significant role being played by the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure and referred to the joint statement of the Heads of State on ‘Countering Radicalisation leading to Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism’ that was issued during India’s chairmanship of the grouping.

He further stated that in view of the present global uncertainties, the SCO holds a “pivotal role”.

“Do we need a new world order or a world which is more orderly? We need an order where every citizen of this world is treated with dignity and respect. We need an order where differences do not become disputes and disputes don’t precede disasters,” he said.

“The real crisis today is not of a non-existent order but a tendency to question the established rule-based world order. We must focus on a global consensus where co-existence, co-habitation and compassion take precedence over chaos, competition and conflict,” he said.

Singh noted that it is the responsibility of SCO to ensure regional as well as global peace and stability.

“We should continue to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy and not of unrelenting force. We should not allow it to become an era of violence and war, but an era of peace and prosperity,” he said.

“Let me recall the message of Mahatma Gandhi that an eye for an eye makes everyone blind and before every action, we must remember how that action can make a difference to the life of a poor and needy,” he said.

“As people responsible for defence and security, we have the responsibility to uphold this spirit of brotherhood and harmony. The real test of power is not in using it against the poor and the weak, but to use it in the interest of those who are unable to defend themselves,” he stated.

Singh highlighted India’s belief that SCO possesses the requisite strength and resolve to significantly contribute towards peace and stability.

The ancient Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ embodies this sense of togetherness, overcoming all differences of race and religion, he said.

The defence minister also reiterated India’s commitment to contribute constructively to the implementation of the SCO’s mandate, advocating that greater cooperation and mutual trust among member states based on equality, mutual respect and deeper understanding can make this organisation a beacon of hope and peace.

During the meeting, Singh along with his counterparts from other member countries, discussed ways to deal with the challenge of terrorism and radicalisation.

The SCO members emphasised the symbolic significance of 2026, which marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the organisation and how its role is becoming more important than ever due to growing unpredictability and uncertainty, according to the defence ministry.

Singh landed in the capital city of Kyrgyzstan on Monday.

The SCO, comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus, is an influential economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organisations.

It was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan became its permanent member along with India in 2017. Iran joined the grouping in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

New Delhi, Apr 28: New Delhi has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Mali that killed Defence Minister Sadio Camara and several others in a wave of coordinated violence across the country.

In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it “strongly condemns the terrorist attacks in Mali targeting multiple locations,” extending condolences to the victims’ families and expressing solidarity with the government and people of Mali. It also conveyed “sincere condolences on the demise of General Sadio Camara,” reaffirming India’s commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms.

Camara was killed in an apparent suicide truck bombing that targeted his residence near the capital Bamako. Government officials said a vehicle laden with explosives rammed into his home, triggering a massive blast. He reportedly engaged the attackers before succumbing to injuries in hospital. The attack also killed members of his family and caused significant damage to nearby structures, including a mosque.

The assault is part of a broader surge in violence, with jihadist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, along with separatist factions, launching coordinated strikes across multiple regions including Gao, Kidal and Mopti.

Reports said Mali’s junta leader Assimi Goïta was moved to a secure location after his residence was also targeted. Meanwhile, clashes continued in the north, where separatist groups claimed advances. The attacks mark one of the most intense escalations of violence in recent years in Mali, which has long grappled with insurgencies and instability in the Sahel region.

Srinagar, Apr 28: Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted one-week bail to jailed Member of Parliament Er Abdul Rashid Sheikh to visit his ailing father in Srinagar. 

According to details available, the court observed that he has been in custody for more than 6 years. “After going through records, court is of the opinion that this is a fit case for grant of interim bail for one week,” it noted. 

He has been granted bail on the conditions that he will give Rs 1 lakh personal and surety bond of like amount, he will be accompanied by two police officals, he shall remain in the residence or hospital where is father is located the address of which will be provided. 

The court also noted that he shall not be allowed to move out, use one mobile number which shall be in switched on mode. “He shall not try to contact any witness or influence. There will not be any undue visitors except immediate family. The cost will be borne by the NIA,” the court clarified. —(KNO)

New Delhi, Apr 28: A multi-pronged action involving telecom regulators, service providers, the RBI, tech giants and the CBI has been taken to tackle the rising menace of digital arrest scams, besides WhatsApp banning 9,400 accounts involved in such offences, the Centre has told the Supreme Court.

The action was detailed by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) which has filed a comprehensive status report in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s directions of February 9 to curb rising cases of digital arrests in the country, according to sources.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, which had taken suo motu cognisance of online frauds, including digital arrests, had issued a slew of directions including asking the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and others to jointly hold a meeting to come up with a framework for providing compensation in digital arrest cases.

The fresh status report, filed through Attorney General R Venkataramani, detailed the enforcement actions taken by tech giant WhatsApp in the last 12 weeks since January this year.

“In direct response to concerns raised by I4C, MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) and DoT, WhatsApp in January 2026 launched a structured, multi-week dedicated investigation specifically focused on digital arrest scams targeting Indian users. This investigation followed a rigorous methodology: identify seed signals map networks enforce against the entire network build scaled automated defences,” it said, adding 9,400 accounts have been banned due to alleged involvement in digital arrests.

To further protect users, WhatsApp is deploying several “enforcement innovations”, including logo detection where systems to identify and remove accounts using official police or government insignia in display pictures, the status report said.

WhatsApp is contemplating introducing a new feature to warn users when they receive a call from a “newly created” or “non-tenured” account, a common trait of scam profiles, the status report said, adding that process to automatically hide profile pictures of suspicious unknown callers to prevent scammers from using visual cues of authority will also be introduced.

The DoT and the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have committed to a strict new timeline for neutralising fraudulent SIM cards, including the fact that the committee is working toward a mechanism to block suspicious SIM cards within 2 to 3 hours of identification, it said.

The report said the CBI has set a Rs 10 crore loss threshold for taking over digital arrest investigations.

Currently, the CBI has re-registered three major cases, including two cases from Gujarat involving massive financial frauds and a high-profile Delhi case where a single victim was defrauded of Rs 22.92 crore, it said.

The report said a high-level Inter-Departmental Committee chaired by senior officials held its third meeting on March 12, bringing together stakeholders, including telecom operators, financial regulators, and digital platforms.

One of the key central proposals is the rollout of a Biometric Identity Verification System (BIVS) to enable real-time, cross-network monitoring of SIM card issuance, it said.

The DoT has been tasked with implementing this system by December 2026, it added.

The report said WhatsApp has committed to several safeguards, including implementation of SIM-binding mechanisms within four to six.

The SIM binding is a security mandate requiring the active, KYC-verified SIM card to be physically present and active in the phone for the app to function. If the SIM is removed, swapped, or inactive, the app will stop working.

The RBI, as per the report, has finalised a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) directing banks to place temporary holds on suspicious transactions to curb money mule activities.

Urging the top court to take on record the report, the MHA sought issuance of appropriate directions to DoT to implement measures identified by Inter-Departmental Committee by requiring due compliance by TSPs and enlisting their cooperation towards expediting notification and implementation of “Telecommunications (User Identification) Rules and the Biometric Identity Verification System (BIVS) for national level visibility of SIM issuance”.

It also sought direction to evolve a mechanism for expeditious blocking of suspicious or fraudulent SIM cards used in cybercrime cases, including digital arrest scams.

“MeitY is advised to secure compliance by WhatsApp, to ensure timely implementation of the safeguards and commitments made before the Inter17 Departmental Committee, including implementation of the SIM binding mechanism in compliance with the DoT circular…,” it said.