MEA Secretary emphasized SCO’s priorities and India’s active engagement

New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Tianjin, China, to participate in the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Tuesday. The summit is scheduled for August 31 and September 1, with a welcome banquet on the evening of August 31. On the sidelines, PM Modi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders.

Speaking ahead of PM Modi’s visits to Japan and China, MEA Secretary (West) Tanmay Lal highlighted that the SCO focuses on combating terrorism, separatism, and extremism, while also promoting cooperation in trade, connectivity, youth empowerment, innovation, digital inclusion, traditional medicine, and cultural heritage. He noted India’s active participation in past SCO summits, including Chengdao (2018), Bishkek (2019), Moscow and Dushanbe (2020-2021, virtual), Tashkent (2022), and New Delhi (2023, virtual).

During India’s 2023 SCO presidency, initiatives such as the SECURE SCO theme—covering security, economy, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty, and environment—were advanced. Varanasi was named the first-ever SCO cultural and tourism capital, and India chaired the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in 2021-2022. In recent months, Indian officials, including NSA Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, actively participated in SCO ministerial and senior-level meetings.

The SCO, comprising 10 member states including India, China, Russia, and Pakistan, uses various mechanisms to boost regional cooperation. During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to India on August 18-19, he delivered President Xi’s invitation to PM Modi. The Prime Minister expressed support for China’s SCO presidency and emphasized that strong India-China ties contribute to regional and global peace and stability.