SCO Summit 2023: As PM Modi hosts the meet, India hopes to pass Presidency on high end with formation unanimous consensus

SCO Summit 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO )summit which also marks the end of Indian presidency. PM is residing over the meeting between head of states that include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, among others. During his address Modi recognized the importance of the organization as a platform for securing peace, prosperity and development in the Eurasian region. The Prime Minister spoke on many areas of cooperation and also addressed immediate hovering over member states in the Eurasian region.

The theme for India's chairship of SCO is SECURE. It is an acronym for S: Security, E: Economic development, C: Connectivity, U: Unity, R: Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, E: Environmental protection, which was coined by PM Modi at the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit.

Not an extended neighborhood, but rather as an extended family

India has created five new pillars and focus areas of cooperation in SCO. These include Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Digital Inclusion, Youth Empowerment and Shared Buddhist Heritage. "Over the past two decades, the SCO has emerged as an important platform for peace, prosperity and development in the entire Eurasia region. India's thousands of years old cultural and people-to-people ties with this region are living testimony to our shared heritage," PM Modi added.

Recognizing the importance of SCO PM Modi further added "We do not see the SCO as an extended neighbourhood, but rather as an extended family. Security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection are the pillars of our vision for SCO."

PM Modi also expressed his happiness over joining of Iran as the newest SCO member state. He also expressed concerns over spread of terrorism and how states supporting terrorism should be openly criticized and condemned at SCO. "Terrorism has become a threat to regional as well as global peace. There is a need for decisive action to deal with it" PM Modi said.

He also urged the group to work for the welfare of Afghan people and cautioned over use of Aghan territory as a base to destabilize the neighborhood.

Areas of cooperation

The issues being adressed in the summit include Energy, Afghanistan, counter-terrorism, de-radicalisation, connectivity, and the need for improvement in the architecture of global governance. With the creation of five pillar India is trying to mold the trajectory that SCO will work on. The increasing footprint of SCO necessitates creation of unified consensus over areas of cooperation and partnership.

Several new platforms that constitute the Young Scientist Conclave, Authors Conclave, Startup Forum, and Youth Council have been organized in order to bolster youth participation in group activities. The aim of these platforms in to youth talent from different countries and provide them good opportunities.

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