PM Modi Calls for Action-Oriented SCO Cooperation, Highlights Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.
Bishkek:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for transforming the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) cooperation into tangible outcomes, stressing that the grouping must move from “shared geography to shared opportunities” amid growing global uncertainty and instability.
Addressing the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, held during the 25th anniversary of the organisation, Modi thanked Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov for his hospitality and congratulated the people of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan on their respective Independence Days.
Recalling India’s vision for the SCO, Modi highlighted three key pillars — Security, Connectivity and Opportunity — and said the time had come to translate these pillars from vision into concrete action.
On security, the Prime Minister described terrorism as a serious challenge to humanity and called for dismantling the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens. He stressed that there should be “no place for double standards” in combating terrorism and urged countries to send a strong message against those who use terrorism as an instrument of policy.
Modi also underlined the importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan and said India would continue its development assistance and humanitarian support to the Afghan people. Referring to the crisis in West Asia, he said conflicts in one region increasingly affect global energy security, maritime trade and supply chains, with the Global South bearing a major share of the impact. India, he said, consistently supports resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy rather than on the battlefield.
The Prime Minister also highlighted drug trafficking as a threat to young people and regional security. He called for making SCO mechanisms addressing security threats, organised crime, information security and narcotics more effective through practical coordination and timely action.
On connectivity, Modi said India supports initiatives that connect markets, facilitate trade and create development opportunities. However, he emphasised that connectivity projects must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries. He also called for simpler customs procedures, digital documentation and more efficient logistics networks.
Under the third pillar, Opportunity, Modi stressed that the benefits of SCO cooperation must directly reach citizens. He highlighted the importance of youth, entrepreneurs and farmers, saying the success of the organisation should be measured by the opportunities created for young people, new markets opened for entrepreneurs and improved livelihoods.
Modi also welcomed Kyrgyzstan’s focus on youth engagement and recalled India’s initiatives, including the SCO Start-up Forum, Young Authors’ Conclave and Young Scientists’ Forum. He said the first session of the SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum, proposed by India last year, will be held in India this year.
Quoting Kyrgyz literary figure Chingiz Aitmatov, Modi urged SCO members to focus on what unites them rather than what divides them. He concluded by calling for a shift “from vision to outcomes” and from government-driven cooperation to people-driven partnership.
