Important to respect sovereignty of nations, Modi tells SCO summit

Modi said it is more important for countries to respect the sovereignity and territorial integrity of other countries, without which there cannot be any cooperation among nations.

"India has strong cultural and historical ties with SCO countries. India believes that to enhance connectivity it is important that we move forward while respecting one another's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the prime minister said.

Prime Minister Modi underlined India’s strong cultural and historical connect with the SCO region and reiterated India’s firm commitment towards strengthening connectivity in the region with initiatives like International North-South Transport Corridor, Chabahar Port and Ashgabat Agreement. He also extended full support to observing the 20th anniversary of SCO in 2021 as the `SCO Year of Culture’ and spoke of India’s own initiatives to hold the first SCO exhibition on Shared Buddhist Heritage to be organised by National Museum of India, SCO Food Festival in India next year and the translation of Ten regional language literary works into Russian and Chinese.

This was the first SCO Summit held in Virtual Format and third meeting that India participated after becoming a full member in 2017. Modi in his address congratulated President Vladimir Putin for organising the meeting despite challenges and constraints arising due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his address, the prime minister highlighted the imperative of a reformed multilateralism to meet the expectations of a world suffering from the social and financial after-effects of the pandemic. India, as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, beginning from 1 January 2021, will focus on the theme of ‘reformed multilateralism’ to bring about desirable changes in global governance.

He mentioned that India has always maintained a cooperative attitude, Its brave soldiers have participated in about 50 UN peacekeeping missions and India's Pharma industry has been supplying essential medicines to more than 150 countries during the pandemic.

The virtual meeting of the SCO, chaired by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, was attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and other leaders,  discussed ways to recover from the adverse economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rising threat of terrorism among other issues.

Besides the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the SCO Secretary-General Rashid Alimov, leaders from all eight SCO member states and four observer states attended the conference.

Prime Minister Modi expressed India’s readiness to host the next regular meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government on 30 November 2020 in virtual format. India has also proposed to set up a Special Working Group on Innovation and Startups and a Sub Group on Traditional Medicine within SCO. He elaborated on India's vision of a `Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) in the post-pandemic world that could prove to be a force multiplier for the global economy and the economic progress of the SCO region.

Prime minister congratulated President Emomali Rahmon of the Republic of Tajikistan for assuming the chairmanship of SCO next year and assured full cooperation from India.