Security, trade, energy to be in focus at SCO summit

Modi to meet Putin in Uzbekistan, but bilateral with Xi yet to be confirmed

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join Russian and Chinese leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, respectively, and others at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand on Friday. They will discuss regional security challenges, boosting trade and energy supplies, among other issues.

Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, including with Putin, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. There is no confirmation over his possible bilateral with Xi.

“We will keep you fully apprised when the PM’s schedule of bilateral meetings unfolds,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said on Thursday at a media briefing in New Delhi.

He also said the prime minister’s participation in the summit was a reflection of the importance that India attaches to the SCO.

The summit of the eightnation grouping is taking place amid a growing geopolitical turmoil largely triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and China’s aggressive military posturing in the Taiwan Strait.

Kwatra said India expects that the discussions will cover topical regional and international issues, reforms and expansion of the SCO, the regional security situation and cooperation perspective. Strengthening connectivity as well as boosting trade and tourism in the region was also part of the agenda.

The foreign secretary said Modi will be in Samarkand for around 24 hours.

According to reports in Russian and Iranian media, Modi is likely to hold separate meetings with Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

Asked to comment on China’s growing influence over the SCO, Kwatra did not give a direct reply but said India remained focused on strengthening its links with central Asia and the extended neighbourhood.

The foreign secretary said the SCO is focused on regional cooperation and that India does not think it is about one country. “We do not see it through the perspective of a third country,” he said.

Asked about Pakistan’s continued support to terror groups, which was contrary to the SCO’s vision for regional security, Kwatra said: “If you look at the history of discussions on countering terrorism within the framework of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, you will find that both substance of the discussions and the various structures of the SCO – their handling of this issue has evolved over a period of years.

“Now irrespective of what a particular country does on this problem of terrorism, there is deeply held, I would say, understanding and deep appreciation within the SCO countries of what the nature of the terrorism is, where the problem comes from and, most importantly, the need for SCO countries on their own as also the SCO structures including RATS to come together and form ways for practical cooperation,” he said.

The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the SCO (RATS SCO) is focused on addressing key security challenges in the region, including terrorism and extremism.

“This is something we have been focusing on since we took the chairship of the executive council of RATS,” he said.

India assumed the chairmanship of the RATS-SCO from October 28, 2021 for a period of one year.