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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday told the foreign ministers of the SCO member states that the grouping should improve mechanisms to respond to security threats and challenges, and build a solid security barrier. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was among the foreign ministers and heads of standing bodies of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) whom Xi met here ahead of their meeting in Tianjin. Xi said that over the past 24 years since its founding, the SCO has always upheld the Shanghai Spirit, grown into a mature and robust organisation, and demonstrated strong vitality. He stressed that in the face of a turbulent and changing international landscape, the SCO must stay focused and confident, act efficiently and play a more proactive role in injecting greater stability and positive energy into the world. Xi said China has always prioritised the SCO in its neighbourhood diplomacy, and is committed to making the organisation more substantive and stronge
NSA Ajit Doval on Tuesday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to hold perpetrators, organisers, financiers of cross border terror to account, widely seen as a demand to act against Pakistan-backed terrorism. In his address at a conclave of top security officials of the SCO, Doval said India is "deeply concerned" about continued threat from UN-proscribed terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Al Qaeda, ISIS and its affiliates. The NSA said New Delhi launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle terror infrastructure and deter terrorists from carrying out attacks in India following the Pahalgam terror strike. In response to the attack in Pahalgam in which TRF, a proxy of LeT, killed 26 Indian and Nepalese nationals and injured several others after segregating them on the basis of religion, India launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle terror infrastructure, he said. Doval said India's actions were "measured and non escalatory". The NSA ...
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday urged SCO member states to strengthen the organisation's framework for tackling multiple regional challenges and forging close cooperation. Sharif's remarks came as he addressed the opening session of the 23rd meeting of the Council of the Heads of Government (CHG) of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). "From the esteemed platform of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a beacon of multilateralism, I stand in the belief that we possess not only the potential but the will to forge a future that is more prosperous and secure for our people a future inclusive and reflective of shared aspirations of all member states, he said. Prime Minister Shehbaz highlighted: We are at a historic moment of transition where sweeping transformations are reshaping the global, social, political, economic, and security landscape. He reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to regional peace, stability and enhanced connectivity a
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and prime ministers of China and Russia among others will attend the two-days SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting here next week to discuss the ongoing cooperation in economy, trade and environment, Pakistan said on Saturday. Pakistan is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting on October 15 and 16 and in his capacity as the current Chair of the CHG, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will preside over the summit, the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement. SCO member States will be represented by the Prime Ministers of China, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as well as the First Vice President of Iran and External Affairs Minister of India, it said. The CHG meeting will discuss ongoing cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, environment, socio-cultural linkages and review the performance of the Organisation. The leaders will adopt important ...
India on Friday announced that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will travel to Pakistan to attend a conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in mid-October. The announcement was made by external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The last Indian external affairs minister to visit Pakistan was Sushma Swaraj. She had travelled to Islamabad in December 2015 to attend a conference on Afghanistan. Pakistan is hosting the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting on October 15 and 16. "The external affairs minister will lead our delegation to Pakistan to participate in the SCO summit which will be held in Islamabad on October 15 and 16," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. The spokesperson clarified that the external affairs minister is travelling to Pakistan only to attend the SCO summit. In August, Pakistan invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SCO's summit. Jaishankar's visit to Pakistan assumes significance as it is seen as a ma
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday said the "hydra-headed monster" of terrorism and extremism whether committed by individuals, groups or at state level must be fought with full vigour and conviction, as he warned against using it as a cudgel for diplomatic point-scoring. Addressing the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State (CHS) hosted by India in a virtual format, he also talked about religious minorities. The hydra-headed monster of terrorism and extremism whether committed by individuals, societies or states must be fought with full vigour and conviction. Any temptation to use it as a cudgel for diplomatic point-scoring must be avoided under all circumstances, he said. 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. He noted that while the
India on Friday said its decision to hold the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format was taken considering a number of factors. Replying to a question on the issue during his weekly media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi noted that India did not make any announcement in the past it would be an in-person summit. The MEA on Tuesday announced that India will host the annual summit of the SCO in the virtual format on July 4. While making the announcement, it did not cite any reason behind the decision. India is hosting the summit in its capacity as the current chair of the SCO. Bagchi said many international summits in recent years have taken place in the virtual format and it was decided to hold the SCO summit in that mode taking into consideration various factors. He, however, did not mention the factors. He said the decision was not driven by a single factor. "We have now communicated to the SCO partners a
India will host the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the virtual format on July 4, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. However, it did not cite reasons for holding the summit in the virtual mode. Last year, the in-person SCO summit took place in the Uzbek city of Samarkand that was attended by all top leaders of the grouping including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16 last year. "Under India's first-ever chairmanship, the 22nd summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in the virtual format on July 4, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the MEA said in a statement. India hosted the foreign ministers of the SCO at a two-day conclave in Goa earlier this month. The MEA said all the SCO member states -- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan,
Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu are expected to attend a key meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be hosted by India next week under its presidency of the grouping, people familiar with the development said on Saturday. There is no confirmation yet on in-person participation of Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in the SCO defence ministerial meeting scheduled for April 27 and 28, they said, adding he is likely to join the deliberations virtually. The people said defence ministers of China, Russia and other SCO member countries except Pakistan have confirmed their in-person attendance. However, there was no official announcement on the participation at the defence ministerial meeting by the SCO member states. The visit by Li, if it takes place, would come amid the three-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh. The SCO defence ministerial meeting in New Delhi would be followed by the foreign ministerial meeting o
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday pitched for better connectivity in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) region, but at the same time underlined that such projects should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states. In an address at a virtual meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG), Jaishankar said the Chabahar port and the International North South Transport Corridor could become enablers for connectivity in the region. "Represented India at the meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government which has just concluded. Underlined that we need better connectivity in the SCO region built on centrality of interests of Central Asian states," he tweeted. The external affairs minister said "connectivity projects should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states and respect international law". His remarks are seen as a reference to China's Belt and Road initiative. "Our total trade with SCO Members is only $
The Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on Friday decided on joint measures by member countries to counter threats posed by international terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan. The decision was taken at a meeting of the council of RATS that was hosted by India in the national capital. The meeting was attended by senior officials of all the member nations including China and Pakistan. India's Deputy National Security Advisor Dattatray Padsalgikar said the meeting also decided to organise a military exercise called "Solidarity- 2023" next year.It is learnt that the exercise will take place in China. "Joint measures of the competent authorities of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to counter the challenges and threats posed by international terrorist organisations from the territory of Afghanistan were approved," Padsalgikar said at a media briefing. India hosted the meeting in its capacity as the chair of .