Beijing [China], July 15 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday underscored India’s leadership in promoting innovation, startups, traditional medicine, and digital public infrastructure within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), while calling for deeper cooperation built on mutual respect and sovereignty.
Sharing highlights of his participation at the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Beijing via a post on X, Jaishankar said India remains open to new ideas that genuinely benefit the region but stressed that all cooperation must respect equal sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“India has taken several initiatives in the SCO in domains ranging from startup and innovation to traditional medicine and digital public infrastructure. We will continue to positively approach new ideas and proposals that are genuinely for our collective good,” he wrote.
Jaishankar also pointed out that regional collaboration must translate into tangible economic outcomes, highlighting the need to overcome key barriers such as the lack of assured transit within the SCO space. He described this as a major impediment to realizing the group’s economic potential and advocated for accelerating the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
“Deepening collaboration within the SCO naturally requires more trade, investment, and exchanges. For that to move to the next level, it is imperative that we address some current issues. One of them is the lack of assured transit within the SCO space. Its absence undermines the seriousness of advocating cooperation in economic areas. Another is to ensure the promotion of the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC). We are confident that it will continue to gather momentum,” he stated.
On regional security, Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s commitment to the SCO’s founding principles of countering terrorism, extremism, and separatism. He cited the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, calling it a calculated attempt to harm Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism economy and sow religious discord. He noted the UN Security Council’s condemnation of the attack and reiterated India’s firm response against perpetrators.
“The SCO must continue to take an uncompromising stand against terrorism,” he asserted.
On Afghanistan, Jaishankar said it remains a key concern for the SCO agenda. He called for regional stability and humanitarian support to proceed hand in hand, reaffirming India’s commitment to aiding the Afghan people.
He concluded by noting that the world is moving toward greater multipolarity and that groupings like the SCO have a vital role in shaping the future of global governance.
“For SCO to remain relevant, member states must come together on a shared, inclusive agenda,” he emphasized.
(ANI)
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