PM Modi To Chair SCO Summit Virtually Today. Putin, Xi Jinping, Shehbaz Sharif To Attend

Terrorism, regional security, and prosperity are among the primary themes scheduled to be on the agenda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Source : PTI

India will virtually host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, which will include Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the meeting of SCO Heads of State, news agency ANI reported.

Terrorism, regional security, and prosperity are among the primary themes scheduled to be on the agenda.

The term established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 SCO Qingadao summit inspired India's SCO chairship theme, SECURE. S represents for security, E stands for economic growth, C stands for connectivity, U stands for unity, R stands for respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and E stands for environmental preservation.

This week's gathering will also include Russian President Vladimir Putin.

This occurs at a time when the Russia-Ukraine conflict has ended. India has criticised the conflict but has not voted in any forum against Russia.

Speaking to President Putin on the margins of the SCO summit in Uzbekistan last year, Prime Minister Modi also stated, "This is not the era of war," a comment that was included in the G20 communiqué during India's leadership.

Earlier on June 30, Prime Minister Modi spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about bilateral cooperation issues such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the G20.

The summit has been invited to all SCO member countries, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia have all been invited as Observer States. Turkmenistan has also been invited as the chair's guest, as is customary at the SCO. The Secretariat and the SCO RATS will also be represented, as will the heads of the two SCO Bodies.

Pakistan and China have stated their desire to attend in the summit, which is one of the conference's primary features.

Pakistan, which has been sanctioned internationally for harbouring terrorists, is scheduled to attend the meeting. With Chinese assault at Galwan in 2020, there has been a protracted standoff and large-scale military buildup against Indian positions on the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The Indian side has also deployed a large number of troops and created infrastructure for them at a rapid rate.

Prior to his visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that "peace and tranquillity in border areas is essential" for "normal bilateral ties" with China, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

"We have a core belief in respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, observing the rule of law and peaceful resolution of differences and disputes. At the same time, India is fully prepared and committed to protecting its sovereignty and dignity," PM Modi said in his interview with the US publication.

Jinping will deliver important remarks at the virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which will be hosted by India, and will chart the course for the organization's future growth, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning.

Shehbaz Sharif will also be present at the SCO summit. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued an invitation to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The participation of the two leaders comes at a time when China blocked a UN proposal by India and the US to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist, which drew sharp criticism from India.

India joined the SCO as an observer nation in 2005 and became a full member at the Astana summit in 2017, marking a watershed moment in the country's ties with the institution.

India has played an active and constructive part in all SCO operations during the last six years.

At the SCO meeting in Samarkand in September 2022, India took up the SCO leadership from Uzbekistan for the first time.