In a significant address at the Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks, delivered by External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar, highlighted the pressing global issues of terrorism, geo-economics, and technological advancements. The meeting, themed ‘Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue – Striving for Sustainable Peace and Development,’ took place on July 4, 2024.
PM Modi underscored the importance of the SCO in the current global landscape, characterized by profound shifts driven by geopolitical tensions, geo-economic forces, and geo-technological advancements. He emphasized that the world is moving towards real multipolarity, and the SCO’s true value will depend on the cooperation among its members.
One of the primary challenges addressed was terrorism. PM Modi strongly condemned the use of terrorism by nations as a tool of destabilization and called for a decisive response to cross-border terrorism, including effective measures against terrorism financing and recruitment.
In terms of geo-economics, PM Modi stressed the need for creating multiple, reliable, and resilient supply chains, a crucial lesson from the Covid-19 pandemic. He highlighted India’s potential to contribute to global growth through initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and expressed openness to partnering with other nations, particularly from the Global South, in capacity building.
PM Modi also highlighted the transformative power of technology in both development and security. He pointed to India’s achievements in digital public infrastructure and digital financial inclusion as examples of how technology can drive progress and international cooperation. The importance of trust and transparency in the digital era, particularly in areas like AI and cyber security, was also emphasized.
The speech also touched on the significance of creating new connectivity linkages to better serve a rebalanced world, with a focus on respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. The progress made on Chabahar port through a long-term agreement between India and Iran was highlighted as a valuable development for landlocked Central Asian states and commerce between India and Eurasia.
Regarding Afghanistan, PM Modi reaffirmed India’s historical ties and commitment to the needs and aspirations of the Afghan people, encompassing development projects, humanitarian assistance, capacity building, and sports.
The call for reforming the international order, including the United Nations and its Security Council, was reiterated. PM Modi expressed hope for a strong consensus on the way forward and emphasized India’s contributions to enhancing the economic agenda of the SCO, including initiatives like the SCO Startup Forum and the Special Working Group on Startup and Innovation.
In the realm of medical and wellness tourism, PM Modi mentioned the establishment of the Global Center for Traditional Medicine in Gujarat and India’s initiative for a new SCO Working Group on Traditional Medicine.
Finally, PM Modi advocated for enhancing education, training, and capacity-building as key pillars of international cooperation and stressed the need for better communication and deeper consensus among SCO members, including granting English the status of a third official language.
The meeting concluded with congratulations to Kazakhstan for hosting a successful Summit and best wishes to China for its upcoming presidency of the SCO.
