Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, reiterating India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward to resolve conflicts. He also called for zero tolerance towards terrorism and stressed that there should be no double standards in the global fight against the menace.

Modi urged the 10-member grouping to build on its 25-year foundation of dialogue and cooperation by focusing on tangible outcomes. He identified security, connectivity and opportunity as three key pillars for the SCO’s agenda for the next 25 years amid growing global uncertainty and instability.

Modi Calls For Unified Fight Against Terrorism

In a post on X following his address, Modi said tackling terrorism was central to achieving the SCO’s broader objectives. He called for the dismantling of the entire ecosystem supporting terrorist activities, including financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens.

“Key to realising the SCO vision is fighting the menace of terrorism. We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens,” Modi said.

He also called on countries to send a strong message to states that support terrorism.

“Countries that use terrorism as an instrument of state policy and provide shelter and support to to terrorists must receive a strong message that terrorism can never be a strategic asset,” he added.

SCO Agenda To Focus On Security And Connectivity

Modi said the organisation should examine its priorities for the next 25 years as it marks a quarter-century since the beginning of SCO cooperation. He said member states needed to use their shared geography to create economic and development opportunities.

“In these 25 years, we have prepared a strong foundation for cooperation. Now, in the next 25 years, our goal must be to transform this cooperation into tangible outcomes,” Modi said.

He added, “Today, when the world is passing through uncertainty and instability, we must turn our shared geography into shared opportunities. Through our efforts, we must bring positive changes to the lives of our people.”

The Prime Minister identified security, connectivity and opportunity as the three pillars that should guide the grouping’s future work.

Technology And Youth At Centre Of Development Push

Modi also highlighted the role of connectivity, technology, innovation, startups and young people in driving development across SCO member states.

He said India supported initiatives aimed at connecting markets, facilitating trade and creating new avenues for development, while emphasising that the success of such efforts should ultimately be measured by their impact on people.

“Strong and reliable connectivity further shared development. India supports all initiatives that connect markets, facilitate trade and open new avenues for development,” he said.

Modi said the SCO should assess how many new opportunities its initiatives create for young people, how many new markets become accessible to entrepreneurs and how much farmers benefit from technology.

He also pointed to improvements in citizens’ quality of life as an important measure of the grouping’s progress.

India Offers To Host SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum

During his address, Modi announced India’s readiness to host the first SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum, adding another proposed platform for engagement among member states.

The announcement came as India pushed for greater cooperation across areas including technology, innovation, connectivity and youth engagement.

With the SCO marking 25 years of cooperation, Modi called on its members to move beyond dialogue and translate the grouping’s existing foundation into concrete results. He said the focus for the next 25 years should be on turning shared geography into shared opportunities and improving the lives of people across member states.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share