Astana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of technology in the 21st century, echoing its role in fostering societal welfare and progress. He expressed India’s commitment to making technology more creative and applying it effectively. This vision includes India’s initiative on Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a National Strategy and AI Mission, and its collaboration within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to develop a Roadmap on AI cooperation.

At the SCO Summit in Astana under Kazakhstan’s Presidency, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivered PM Modi’s statement. Jaishankar conveyed Modi’s gratitude for the warm wishes on his re-election for a third term. Modi stressed the need for robust connectivity for economic development, underscoring the importance of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity in such projects. This was seen as a response to projects like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which India has objected to due to its route through Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Modi’s remarks at the summit highlighted India’s stance on connectivity, trade rights, and non-discriminatory transit regimes, which he believes are crucial for fostering cooperation and trust among SCO member nations. His statements were interpreted as indirectly addressing concerns related to CPEC, which aims to connect China’s Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Gwadar and Karachi ports through infrastructure projects in PoJK.

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Modi Urged Global Isolation Of Nations Harboring Terrorists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and called upon the international community to isolate and expose countries that harbor terrorists, provide safe havens, or condone terrorism. At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Astana, delivered by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Modi underscored the SCO’s principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, and non-interference in internal affairs as crucial for member states’ foreign policies.

Modi highlighted the SCO’s role in prioritizing the fight against terrorism, which he described as one of the organization’s founding objectives. He warned that unchecked terrorism poses a significant threat to regional and global peace, advocating for a firm response to cross-border terrorism, including robust measures against terrorism financing and recruitment.