India bats for ‘meaningful cooperation’ between SCO members to address global challenges
Bishkek, July 24 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) India on Friday said that it firmly believes that only reformed multilateralism and meaningful cooperation amongst member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) can help efficaciously address various contemporary global challenges.
Addressing the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kyrgyzstan’s Cholpon-Ata on Friday, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said that the rapidly evolving world order and the emergent security challenges such as conflicts, food and energy uncertainties, erratic supply chains, extreme climate events, and uneven economic recoveries have impacted the Global South adversely and disproportionately.
“It is incumbent that the SCO remains resolute in promoting an inclusive, representative, and multipolar international order based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law,” he emphasised.
MOS Singh stated that New Delhi remains committed to working constructively with all member states for an SCO that is secure, stable, inclusive, and responsive to the aspirations of people.
“Our approach to SCO continues to be determined by the Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of security, connectivity, and opportunity that is aimed at fostering stability, growth, regional cooperation, and friendship amongst our people,” he remarked at the meeting.
“India firmly believes that only a reformed multilateralism and meaningful cooperation amongst the member states can help efficaciously address these contemporary global scenarios. It is incumbent that the SCO remains resolute in promoting an inclusive, representative, and multipolar international order based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law,” he further emphasised.
He also expressed confidence that an affirmative action by the SCO in dismantling terror networks, safe harbours, radicalisation, the web of terror finance and drug trafficking will result in qualitative enhancements to regional interdependence, cohesion, and gainful exchanges.
“The condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, must be unequivocal. It has been imperative that the SCO continues to adopt a principled and consistent approach in combating terrorism and violent extremism for the collective prosperity and the well-being of its people,” MoS Singh stressed.
Singh shared at the meeting that the first SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum will be organised in India later this year.
“This has been envisioned to utilise the wisdom accumulated over a millennium for the collective good of our and future generations. Our Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has graciously consented to deliver the keynote address at its inaugural, and India looks forward to robust participation from all SCO member states at this forum,” he highlighted.
“India remains committed to working constructively with all member states for an SCO that is secure, stable, inclusive, and responsive to the aspirations of our people,” he added.
