Page 4 - Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

India asks for cooperation among SCO members to deal with global challenges

Amid fears of a global recession, India on Wednesday underlined the need for greater cooperation among Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) members for combating challenges relating to food and energy security. Addressing the Council Meet of the SCO Inter-bank Consortium (IBC), Financial Services Secretary Vivek Joshi said as part of India's contribution to mitigating the above challenges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched global mission LIFE' which stands for Lifestyle for Environment. LIFE envisions replacing the prevalent 'use-and-dispose' economygoverned by mindless and destructive consumptionwith a circular economy, which would be defined by mindful utilization of resources, he said in his inaugural address. "Today, when the world is facing challenges of a looming economic recession, a closer cooperation among SCO member states shall play a pivotal role in combating global challenges such as food and energy security concerns," he said. Observing that India is incli

India may propose mutual settlements in local currencies at SCO IBC meeting

The move will enable the infrastructure projects to be cost efficient as the import component of the infrastructure projects will become relatively cheap with the settlement in the Rupee

Chinese defence minister to visit India this week to attend SCO meet

China on Tuesday announced that its Defence Minister General Li Shangfu will visit India this week to attend the meeting of SCO defence ministers from April 27 during which he is expected to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh on ending the prolonged eastern Ladakh standoff which has severely strained bilateral ties. Considered a close associate of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Gen. Li's India visit is regarded significant as it comes amid the vexed standoff between the armies of India and China in eastern Ladakh since May 2020. Upon invitation, Chinese State Councillor and Defence Minister General Li Shangfu will attend the meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in New Delhi, India, from April 27-28, China's Ministry of National Defence (MND) said in a statement. During the meeting, General Li will address the conference and meet with the heads of delegations from relevant countries to ...

India attaches special importance to SCO in promoting dialogue: Amit Shah

India attaches special importance to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in promoting dialogue on multi-dimensional political, security and economic subjects, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday. He said this while chairing a meeting of Heads of Departments of SCO member states responsible for Prevention and Elimination of Emergency Situations in New Delhi. He said India's priority as the chair of the SCO is to take forward the SECURE theme articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Qingdao Summit of the grouping in 2018. SECURE stands S - Security, E - Economic Cooperation, C - Connectivity, U - Unity, R - Respect For Sovereignty and Integrity and E - Environment Protection. Under the leadership of Modi, India attaches special importance to the SCO in promoting dialogue on the subject relating to multi-dimensional political, security and economic subjects, an official statement said. Shah said India attaches special importance to disaster risk reduction

Amit Shah chairs SCO meet on prevention, elimination of emergency situation

During the meeting, delegates from SCO member states shared information relating to large-scale emergency situations which occurred in their respective territories

Bilawal Bhutto to attend SCO meeting in India in May: Pak's Foreign Office

Pakistan announced on Thursday that Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would participate in the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO) meeting in India next month. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahrah Baloch announced it at a weekly media briefing here. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be leading the Pakistan delegation to the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) being held on May 4-5, 2023, in Goa, India, she said, ending weeks-long speculation if he would attend the conference in-person. She said the Pakistan foreign minister would be attending the meeting as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had invited him to attend the SCO moot. Our participation in the meeting reflects Pakistan's commitment to the SCO Charter and processes and the importance that Pakistan accords to the region in its foreign policy priorities, Baloch said. It would be the highest level visit to India by any Pakistani leader in recent years and a possible opportunity to break the ice between the

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India to host SCO-National Security Advisors meet; Pak, China may join

India, as the current chair of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), is set to host a meeting of National Security Advisors (NSA) and top officials in New Delhi on Wednesday

Pakistan, China may not join SCO NSAs meet physically, to attend virtually

India will emphasise optimising the use of Iran's Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) as inclusive connectivity initiatives for Eurasia

Pakistan's Chief Justice to skip SCO meeting hosted by India: Report

Pakistan on Thursday announced it's decision to skip the meeting of Chief Justices of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) scheduled in New Delhi from March 10-12, reported The Express Tribune

At SCO meeting, India refuses to endorse Prez Xi's Belt and Road Initiative

India on Tuesday once again refused to endorse Chinese President Xi Jinping's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) during a meeting of the eight-nation Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), saying connectivity projects should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states. In a joint communique issued at the end of the 21st Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO member states chaired by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang via video link, India's name was not among the member states that supported the BRI. Like in the previous SCO meetings, India refrained from supporting China's BRI. "Reaffirming their support" for China's BRI initiative, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan "noted the ongoing work to jointly implement this project, including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and BRI," the communique said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who attended the virtual meeting, earlie

US-India in talks to reduce country's dependence on Russian arms, energy

Russia is "no longer a reliable weapons supplier", and Indians are "coming to understand" that they could benefit from finding other suppliers, an official of the US State Department said

Varanasi declared as first ever SCO tourist, cultural capital: Official

The leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday endorsed the holy city of Varanasi as the first ever tourist and cultural capital of the grouping for the year 2022-23. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said this at a media briefing. The Indian delegation at the SCO summit in this historic Uzbek city of Samarkand was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Uzbekistan handed over the rotating presidency of the grouping to India for the year 2022-23. "Prime Minister Modi thanked all the member states for endorsing Varanasi as the first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital during the upcoming year 2022-23," Kwatra said. "This is a befitting recognition of the historic city and opens the door for greater cultural and people-to-people ties between India and the region," he said. The foreign secretary said several events would be organised by the Uttar Pradesh government in collaboration with the Centre to celebrate this recognition of Varanasi. Kwatra said the SCO also

PM Modi leaves historic Uzbek city of Samarkand after attending SCO summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left Uzbekistan's historic city of Samarkand on Friday after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and holding bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The SCO held its first in-person summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan after two years. The summit also saw the participation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin, Raisi and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif among other leaders from the Central Asian countries. "Had productive multilateral and bilateral engagements at the SCO Summit. I thank the people and Government of Uzbekistan for their hospitality," Modi tweeted before leaving. "A packed visit to Samarkand concludes as PM @narendramodi emplanes for New Delhi. PM's participation in the SCO Summit meetings and his bilateral conversations with our partners on the sidelines add strength to regional peace

PM Modi meets Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on sidelines of SCO Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit here and the two leaders discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interests. The two leaders are in this historic Uzbek city of Samarkand to attend the 22nd SCO summit. Iran has been a key country for India in the Gulf region. The two sides have been jointly focusing on improving connectivity between South East Asia and Central Asia. India has been projecting Iran's Chabahar Port as a key regional transit hub including Afghanistan. Located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan to boost connectivity and trade ties. India has been in touch with Iran over the developments in Afghanistan as well following its takeover by the Taliban on August 15 last year. Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a telephonic conversa

SCO summit: Indian economy expected to grow by 7.5% this year, says PM Modi

Indian economy is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year and it will be the highest among the world's largest economies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday. In his address at the summit in this historical Uzbek city, the prime minister also said India is making progress to become a manufacturing hub while highlighting various aspects of the country's economy. "We are making progress on making India a manufacturing hub. India's young and talented workforce makes us naturally competitive," he said. "India's economy is expected to grow by 7.5 per cent this year, which will be the highest among the world's largest economies," Modi said. The prime minister made the remarks in presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders of the influential bloc. "We are supporting innovation in every sector. Today, there are more than 70

India supports cooperation and mutual trust among SCO members: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on the SCO to develop reliable and resilient supply chains to offset the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis and said better connectivity and granting "full rights" of transit facilities by member states is important to achieve the goal. In his address at the summit of the eight-member grouping in this historic Uzbek city, Modi said the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.5 per cent this year and that India supports "greater cooperation and mutual trust" among the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states. With Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders of the bloc listening, Modi said the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing "unprecedented" energy and food crises. It is for the first time Modi and Xi came face-to-face at the summit in ...

PM Modi attends SCO summit; set to meet Russian, Uzbek presidents

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of the other member states of the influential grouping. It is for the first time that Xi and Modi came face-to-face since the border standoff between India and China escalated following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020. The summit is also being attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and leaders of several central Asian countries. Ahead of the deliberations at the restricted format of the summit, leaders of the permanent members of the grouping posed for a group photo. At the venue of the summit, Modi was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. After the summit, Prime Minister Modi is set to have separate bilateral meetings with Russian President Putin, Uzbek President Mirziyoyev and Iranian President Raisi. Modi arrive

PM Modi leaves for SCO summit, says looking forward to exchanging views

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday left for the Uzbek city of Samarkand to attend the SCO summit that will also see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iran's Ebrahim Raisi among other top world leaders. The Prime Minister is visiting Uzbekistan at the invitation of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev. "Leaving for Samarkand, Uzbekistan to attend the SCO Summit, which will witness the exchange of views on a wide range of regional and global issues," Modi tweeted. Posting a picture of the Prime Minister emplaning for Samarkand, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Summit will be an opportunity to review the activities of SCO and discuss prospects for future cooperation. "PM @narendramodi emplanes for Samarkand, Uzbekistan to attend the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," Bagchi tweeted. In his pre-departure statement, Modi said he was ..

SCO summit: Push for unipolar world 'turning ugly', says Putin

The SCO is an economic integration and trust-building organization that unites a number of Eurasian nations, including Russia and China