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PM Modi hosted the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit in virtual form from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, as India holds the grouping’s chairmanship with eight member nations this year. At the conclusion of the summit, the presidents of the SCO countries issued a declaration committing “to counter the activities of terrorist, separatist, and extremist groups.”
With Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif in attendance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should not hesitate to criticize countries that “use cross-border terrorism as an instrument” of their policies because there is “no place for double standards on such serious matters.”
Notably, India did not sign on to support China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to create economic lines between China and the rest of the globe.
Here’s an overview of what happened at the SCO Summit–
What is the SCO?
This year, India, which was recognized as a full member of the SCO in 2017, has the rotational presidency of the organization. The acronym offered by Prime Minister Modi during the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit inspired the subject of India’s SCO presidency, SECURE.
“It stands for – S: Security, E: Economic development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and E: Environmental protection,” an official said.
The SCO is a multilateral grouping comprising eight member states – India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan – four observer states, and six dialogue partners.
‘No place for double standards on terrorism’: PM Modi tells SCO leaders:
When it comes to cross-border terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated during the SCO Summit that there is “no place for double standards on such serious matters.”
“Some countries use cross-border terrorism as a policy tool, providing safe haven for terrorists.” The SCO should not be afraid to criticize such countries. “In such serious matters, there should be no room for double standards,” he stated.
On multiple instances, Delhi has stated that Islamabad utilizes terrorist groups as instruments of “state policy,” while Beijing has obstructed the designation of Pakistan-based terrorists at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
India abstains from supporting China’s BRI:
India refused to endorse the paragraph praising the Belt and Roads Initiative (BRI), which is Chinese President Xi Jinping’s pet project, in the New Delhi proclamation issued at the end of the meeting.
“Reaffirming their support for China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) initiative, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan, and Republic of Uzbekistan note the ongoing work to jointly implement this project, including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and BRI.”
India declined to sign a similar note in the SCO’s Samarkand declaration in 2022, claiming that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor breaches India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
New Delhi declaration signed at end of meet:
The New Delhi declaration signed by the member nations at the end of the meeting stated that the international community must come together to “counter the activities of terrorist, separatist and extremist groups, paying special attention to preventing the spread of religious intolerance, aggressive nationalism, ethnic and racial discrimination, xenophobia, ideas of fascism and chauvinism.”
“The member states note the inadmissibility of interference in the internal affairs of states under the pretext of countering terrorism and extremism, as well as unacceptability of using terrorist, extremist and radical groups for mercenary goals,” it added.
‘World surrounded by conflicts’: PM’s indirect remarks on Ukraine war: Addressing world leaders, including Russian President Putin, Modi made observations about the global implications of the Ukraine conflict without overtly naming it.
“The present times mark a crucial phase in global affairs. In a world surrounded by conflicts, tensions and pandemics, food, fuel, and fertiliser crises are a significant challenge for all nations,” the PM stated.
Russians ‘united as never before’: Putin at SCO Summit:
Putin told the audience that the Russian people were “united as never before,” just days after a paramilitary group staged a brief insurrection in the country.
Putin praised the SCO for “playing an increasingly significant role in international affairs, making a real contribution to maintaining peace and stability, ensuring sustainable economic growth of participating states, and strengthening ties between peoples.”
He thanked the SCO members for their support of Russian authorities during the armed insurrection led by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, and claimed that the West had turned Ukraine into “a virtually hostile state — anti-Russia.”
Pak PM Sharif condemns terrorism “in all its forms”: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that the “hydra-headed monster” of terrorism and extremism, whether perpetrated by “individuals, groups, or at the state level,” must be combated with vigour and commitment.
“Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including state terrorism, must be condemned in clear and unambiguous terms. There can be no justification for the killing of innocent people regardless of the cause or pretext,” Sharif was quoted as saying.
China’s Xi opposes hegemonism and power politics:
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged SCO member countries to maintain regional peace and security while focusing on pragmatic collaboration to accelerate economic recovery.
In a veiled critique of the US, Xi called for an end to hegemony and power politics, as well as making the global governance system fairer and more egalitarian. According to an official statement provided by the Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua, he opposed “unilateral sanctions,” adding that China opposes the “generalization of the concept of national security.”
5 new pillars of cooperation at SCO:
PM Modi stated at the summit that India has created five new pillars for collaboration in the SCO, which include Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Youth Empowerment, Digital Inclusion, and Shared Buddhist Heritage.
He also emphasized that the food, fuel, and fertilizer issue is a major concern for all countries throughout the world, which are plagued by tensions and epidemics.
Concerning the situation in Afghanistan, the Indian Prime Minister stated that Afghan soil should not be exploited to destabilize its neighbors. He also urged member countries to cooperate for Afghanistan’s wellbeing and provide humanitarian aid to the country.
Iran inducted as new permanent member of SCO:
Iran was admitted as a new member of the SCO during the summit, and President Ebrahim Raisi attended the virtual summit. “I am delighted that Iran has become a new member.” “I extend my congratulations to President Ebrahim Raisi and the Iranian people,” Prime Minister Modi stated.
The meeting was supposed to be held in person in New Delhi, but that was changed in early June.
Source:IE
