PM Modi Chairs 23rd SCO Summit; Calls for decisive action against terrorism as it remains a major threat to regional, global peace

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described terrorism a threat to regional and global peace and called upon Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries to fight this menace together.

Addressing the SCO virtual summit today, Mr Modi said some countries are using cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies and SCO countries should not hesitate to criticize such nations.

Mr. Modi underlined that there should be no double standards on terrorism. He also said India's concerns and expectations regarding Afghanistan are similar to those of most SCO countries. Mr Modi added that it is necessary that the land of Afghanistan is not used to spread instability in neighboring countries or encourage extremist ideologies.

The Prime Minister said the food, fuel and fertiliser crisis are a big challenge for all countries in the world surrounded by controversies, tensions and epidemics. He added that over the past two decades, the SCO has emerged as an important platform for peace, prosperity and development in the entire Eurasia region.

Mr. Modi said India has made sustained efforts to take SCO's multifaceted cooperation to new heights as the chair of SCO. He said India has made five new pillars for cooperation in the SCO and they are Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Youth Empowerment, Digital Inclusion and Shared Buddhist Heritage.

The Prime Minister said, several new platforms including Young Scientist Conclave, Authors Conclave, Startup Forum, and Youth Council have been organized to harness the talent of the youth from SCO countries.

These platforms aim to channel the potential of SCO's youth and provide them with meaningful opportunities. Mr. Modi added that India supports proposals for reform and modernisation of SCO.

The 23rd Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State is being chaired by Prime Minister Modi. All the SCO Member States China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have been invited to attend the Summit.

Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia have been invited as Observer States. As per SCO tradition, Turkmenistan has also been invited as the guest of the Chair. India assumed the rotating Chairmanship of SCO at the Samarkand Summit in September last year.