Bishkek, Sep 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) India led and supported several initiatives found place in the Bishkek Declaration signed by the leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) following the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads which took place in the Kyrgyz capital on Tuesday.
The declaration adopted at the SCO Summit includes India's priorities such as English in SCO Charter as the Official Language; Civilisation Dialogue Forum; Young Scientist Forum; and Young Author’s Conclave.
Besides the Bishkek Declaration, four MoUs, and over 20 decisions and statements were adopted at the Summit in fields ranging from climate, nuclear safety, energy conservation, and combating drug addiction.
The Bishkek Declaration reaffirmed the idea of 'One Earth. One Family. One Future' for developing dialogue while the Member States also reaffirmed their firm commitment to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism. They also emphasised the inadmissibility of attempts to exploit terrorist, separatist, and extremist groups for mercenary purposes.
The Member States also strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, emphasising that "double standards" in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and called on the international community to combat terrorism, including the cross-border movement of terrorists.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the SCO member states to strengthen the three pillars of cooperation — security, connectivity and opportunity — and move from vision to measurable outcomes.
Addressing the gathering of leaders on Tuesday, PM Modi noted that the 25th anniversary of the Summit was an opportune time to lay the roadmap for the next 25 years, building upon the strong tradition of dialogue and cooperation developed by SCO.
"At the previous meeting, I had outlined the three main pillars of India’s vision for the SCO: S - Security, C – Connectivity, and O – Opportunity. The time has come to move these three pillars beyond vision and translate them into concrete outcomes. The first and foremost requirement for this is peace and security," he said.
"Terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to humanity as a whole. In the fight against terrorism, we cannot remain confined to an action-reaction approach. We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens. We must speak with one voice and make it clear that there can be no place for double standards on this serious issue," added PM Modi.
In today’s interconnected world, PM Modi highlighted, the scope of security has become even broader.
"The crisis in West Asia has demonstrated that a conflict in one region does not remain confined to that region. Its impact is felt across the world, affecting energy security, maritime trade, and supply chains. The countries of the Global South bear the greatest brunt of such disruptions. Therefore, India has consistently called for all tensions and conflicts to be resolved not on the battlefield, but through dialogue and diplomacy," he said.
The Bishkek Declaration also includes key priorities set by India, including the strengthening of scientific, technical and innovative cooperation through active involvement of young people, and through the regular holding of the SCO Young Scientists Forum (India's Initiative in SCO).
PM Modi mentioned that, for India, the SCO is a confluence of great civilisations, cultures, and ideas. Over the next 25 years of the SCO, he said, people-to-people ties should remain at the heart of cooperation.
He further elaborated that technology, entrepreneurship, innovation, start-ups and people-to-people initiatives open immense opportunities for people in the SCO countries.
"Our cooperation in the SCO should not be merely government-driven; it should also be people-driven. I am pleased that, under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship, special emphasis has been placed on youth engagement within the SCO. India has taken initiatives such as the SCO Start-up Forum, Young Authors’ Conclave, and Young Scientists’ Forum.
"Last year, India proposed the SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum. I am pleased that its first session will be held in India this year. I am confident that with the active participation of all of you, this forum will become a strong platform for vibrant dialogue within the SCO," said PM Modi.
As the Leaders welcomed the holding of the SCO Civilization Dialogue Forum in the autumn of 2026 in India, the Member States also vowed to promote the further strengthening of youth cooperation. They noted the contributions of the SCO Young Authors Conference - an India Initiative in SCO.
Source: IANS
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