July 2nd 2024.
New Delhi: As the SCO Summit approaches in Astana, India has expressed its anticipation for the leaders of the grouping to come together and review the progress made over the past two decades. They will also discuss potential avenues for multilateral cooperation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to not attend the annual summit on July 4, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar representing India instead. The summit is expected to address various topics including the situation in Afghanistan, the conflict in Ukraine, and enhancing overall security cooperation among SCO member countries.
India's priorities within the SCO are based on the prime minister's vision of a 'SECURE' SCO, as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs. The acronym SECURE represents Security, Economic cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation for the summit in Astana, according to the MEA. "During the summit, the leaders will not only review the organization's progress over the past two decades, but also discuss the current state and potential for multilateral cooperation," the MEA said in a statement.
It further stated that the meeting will also address topical issues of regional and international importance. The SCO, comprised of India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, is a significant economic and security bloc that has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organizations.
As the current chair of the grouping, Kazakhstan will be hosting the summit. India previously held the position in 2020 and hosted the SCO Summit in a virtual format due to the pandemic. India's association with the SCO dates back to 2005 when it joined as an observer country. It became a full member state at the Astana summit in 2017.
India has displayed a strong interest in strengthening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure, which focuses on security and defense matters. The SCO was established in 2001 at a summit in Shanghai by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In 2017, India and Pakistan became permanent members of the SCO.
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