India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed the 23rd Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of State, where he emphasized the pressing challenges of the food, fuel, and fertilizer crisis facing countries around the world. Speaking via video conferencing, PM Modi urged the SCO to consider how its efforts can meet the expectations and aspirations of people worldwide.
In the midst of conflicts, tensions, and pandemics, PM Modi highlighted the gravity of the food, fuel, and fertilizer crisis. He questioned whether the SCO, as an organization, is fully prepared to tackle these modern challenges and meet the needs of its member countries. In this context, India supports proposals for improving and modernizing the SCO.
The SCO summit witnessed the virtual participation of several leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, and Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
During his address, PM Modi extended India’s AI-based language platform, Bhashini, to the SCO member nations to overcome language barriers. He emphasized that Bhashini can serve as an example of digital technology and inclusive growth, contributing to the SCO’s voice for reforms within the United Nations and other global institutions.
PM Modi also highlighted India’s comprehensive approach to its SCO Presidency. The pillars of India’s focus during this term include start-up and innovation, youth empowerment, traditional medicine, digital inclusion, and shared Buddhist heritage. He emphasized that the SCO has emerged as a vital platform for peace, prosperity, and development in the Eurasia region over the past two decades. India’s deep cultural roots and people-to-people ties with the region exemplify the shared heritage.
India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO in September 2020, and PM Modi stated that this role has enabled India to elevate its multi-faceted cooperation within the organization. The fundamental principles guiding India’s efforts are Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which conveys the idea of the world as one family, and secure, representing security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection.
This year, India’s chairmanship theme for the SCO is SECURE, an acronym coined by PM Modi at the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit. It stands for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
India’s participation in the SCO summit and PM Modi’s address highlighted the critical challenges related to the food, fuel, and fertilizer crisis faced by countries globally. The proposals for improvement and modernization within the SCO, as well as India’s initiatives in various fields during its SCO Presidency, demonstrate a commitment to addressing these challenges and promoting peace, prosperity, and development in the Eurasian region.
