INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to host a virtual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Tuesday
China's President Xi Jinping and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and other SCO leaders will participate in the
virtual summit.Also See: SCO Summit LiveThis will be Putin's first appearance at an international event since Russia crushed an armed
rebellion by Wagner mercenaries in June.Key topics expected to be discussed at the summit include the situation in Afghanistan, the Ukraine
conflict, and increased cooperation among member countries
Furthermore, participants will deliberate on strategies to boost connectivity and trade.The SCO summit is all set to welcome Iran as the new
permanent member of the organization
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday said "the full membership of Iran" would be approved at the summit
Iran has intensified its diplomacy with friends and foes alike in recent months, seeking to reduce its isolation, improve its economy and
project strength."This membership is beneficial both for Iran and for the organisation," Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani
said on Monday, saying it would have "positive effects on economic development" between member nations.Belarus will sign a memorandum of
obligations which will lead to its membership later.The SCO has emerged as one of the largest transregional international organizations,
with a significant focus on economic and security matters
India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16 last year.The virtual summit will also be
attended by heads of the SCO secretariat and the SCO RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure)
The summit's theme, "Towards a SECURE SCO," was coined by PM Modi at the 2018 SCO summit, with SECURE standing for Security, Economy and
Trade, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environment.The summit has invited heads of six
international and regional organizations, including the UN, Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent
States), CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization), EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union), and CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence
Building Measures in Asia).04:03PM Modi set to virtually chair SCO Council of Heads of State Summit on July 04As India currently holds the
presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the G20, it finds itself delicately navigating the diplomatic landscape amidst
tense relations between Western nations and the Russia-China partnership
The strain stems from Moscow's invasion of Ukraine last year and Beijing's increasingly assertive global presence.Last week, in a telephonic
conversation with Russia President Putin, PM Modi discussed the aftermath of the suppressed mercenary rebellion
During their discussion, Modi reiterated his stance on resolving the conflict in Ukraine through dialogue and diplomacy.During last year's
summit in Uzbekistan, Modi took the opportunity to convey to Putin that the world has moved beyond the era of warfare
This marked a notable instance where India directly addressed the issue of the war with the Russian leader.Russian oilIn September, New
Delhi is set to welcome both Putin and Xi as India hosts the G20 summit, which is also anticipated to be attended by Biden and leaders from
other member nations.India has chosen not to assign blame to Russia for the war, a decision that has led to a significant increase in
Notably, India has substantially increased its purchases of Russian oil, which has drawn criticism from certain Western capitals.FAQsWhat is
the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization that was founded in
Shanghai on June 15, 2001
The main goals of the SCO are to strengthen mutual trust and good-neighborliness among member states, promote their effective cooperation in
political, trade, economic, and other areas.How many countries are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?The Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) has eight member states: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and UzbekistanBesides full 8
members, the SCO has four "observer states" interested in acceding to full membership, and six "dialogue partners".Observer states:
Mongolia, Iran, Belarus, AfghanistanDialogue partners: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Turkey, Nepal, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia(With inputs from agencies)
