Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: Ways to effectively combat terrorism and matters concerning regional peace and security will figure prominently at a defence ministerial conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) being hosted by India on Friday.
Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu, Russia’s Sergei Shoigu and their counterparts from other member countries of the grouping except Pakistan’s Khawaja Asif are set to attend the meeting.
The defence ministry said that the SCO pursues its policy based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, non-interference in internal affairs and mutual understanding and respect for opinions of each of them. It said the theme of India’s presidency of the grouping in 2023 is “Secure SCO”.
The visit by Li to India, if it takes place, would come amid the three-year border standoff in eastern Ladakh, and days after India and China held a fresh round of military talks.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Li are set to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the SCO meeting in Delhi.
The ministry said in a statement on April 25 that Singh will hold bilateral meetings with the visiting defence ministers on the sidelines of the SCO meet. The SCO meeting will be chaired by Singh.
“The defence ministers will discuss amongst other issues concerning regional peace and security, counter terrorism efforts within SCO and an effective multilateralism,” the ministry said.
It said India attaches special importance to SCO in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interactions in the region.
The SCO member countries are Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, India, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Apart from the member states, two observer countries — Belarus and Iran — will also be participating in the SCO defence ministers’ meeting.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
