Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states to translate the grouping’s focus on Security, Connectivity and Opportunity into concrete outcomes, saying its 25-year foundation of cooperation must now deliver tangible benefits to people.
Addressing the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Modi said the organisation must turn its shared geography into shared opportunities amid growing global uncertainty and instability.
“In these 25 years, we have prepared a strong foundation for cooperation. Now, in the next 25 years, our goal must be to transform this cooperation into tangible outcomes,” he said.
The Prime Minister called for stronger collective action against terrorism and terror financing, while stressing that conflicts must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. He also said connectivity projects should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
Referring to the conflicts in West Asia, Modi said their impact extends beyond the immediate region, affecting global energy security, maritime trade and supply chains, with developing countries bearing the maximum burden.
“India’s call has been that the solution to all tensions and wars is not possible on the battlefield, but only through Dialogue and Diplomacy,” he said.
On Afghanistan, Modi said peace and stability in the country were important for a peaceful and secure Eurasia and reaffirmed India’s commitment to development and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.
He also described drug trafficking as a serious threat to young people and regional security, calling for SCO mechanisms dealing with organised crime, narcotics and other security challenges to become effective platforms for practical coordination and timely action.
On connectivity, Modi backed efforts to link markets and facilitate trade, while calling for simpler customs procedures, greater use of digital documentation and more efficient logistics networks alongside road, rail and air links.
Highlighting the third pillar of opportunity, Modi said SCO cooperation should directly benefit people, particularly young people, entrepreneurs and farmers.
“The real test of our success should be: how many new opportunities our efforts created for the youth, how many new markets opened for our entrepreneurs, how much technology benefit our farmers received, and how much better the lives of our citizens became,” he said.
Modi also called for the SCO to become more people-driven, highlighting initiatives such as India’s 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, would be organised in India this year.
Referring to Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov, Modi said the SCO should focus on its shared objectives despite its diversity.
“Our diversity is our identity. Our shared objective is our strength,” he said.
Modi called on SCO members to move “from shared geography to shared opportunities, from vision to outcomes, and from government-driven cooperation to a people-driven partnership”, assuring that India was ready to contribute to the organisation’s shared journey.
