SCO Summit

India has invited Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to attend the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held in New Delhi in April, according to a media report on Wednesday. India currently holds the presidency of the SCO, which comprises China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. As President of the SCO, India is set to host a series of meetings. Diplomatic sources told The Express Tribune newspaper that the Indian government shared the formal invitation with the Pakistan Foreign Office on Tuesday. There was no immediate confirmation from New Delhi on the Pakistani media report. India earlier invited Chief Justice of Pakistan Umar Ata Bandial, as well as shared an invitation for the meeting of foreign ministers of SCO, the report said. The chief justice, however, skipped the meeting of the SCO chief justices and instead Justice Muneeb Akhtar attended the meeting through a video link recently, it said. The forei

Pakistan is yet to decide on India's invitation to Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Goa, foreign ministry sources said on Wednesday. All SCO members are expected to attend the meeting of foreign ministers in May to be hosted by India which has taken over the rotating presidency of the SCO in 2022-2023. Sources in the foreign ministry confirmed that the invitation has been received but no decision has been taken if the foreign minister would travel to India. Responding to a text message sent by PTI to Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch asking if her office would issue a statement on the matter, she simply responded: "No." Launched in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO has eight full members, including its six founding members, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017. It is for the first time that India has been given the .

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday visited an exhibition of the Communist Party, appearing in public for the first time after his return from the SCO summit on September 16, which sparked rumours about his absence from the limelight ahead of next month's key Congress of the ruling party. Xi on Tuesday visited an exhibition on the great achievements of the Communist Party of China and the country over the past decade, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Speaking at the exhibition, he called for concerted efforts to forge ahead determinedly toward a new victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the report said. This is the first time official media reported on his public appearance after his return home from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on September 16. Observers say that Xi not being seen in public may have been due to seven days mandatory quarantine in a designated place followed by a three-day home stay as per the

The nation's diplomacy enters a critical phase

PM Modi cited start-ups, traditional medicine, and food security as domains where India can pioneer a collective initiative for the region.

Russian prez says he understands India's position, concerns

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for the first time in-person on the sidelines of the SCO summit here and the two leaders discussed wide-ranging bilateral ties, reviewed the progress in the development of Chabahar Port and regional developments including Afghanistan. The two leaders are in this historic Uzbek city of Samarkand to attend the 22nd Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit SCO summit. "Productive first meeting between PM @narendramodi and President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran. Discussed our wide-ranging bilateral relations and reviewed the progress in the development of Chabahar Port. Also discussed international and regional developments including Afghanistan," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet. Iran has been a key country for India in the Gulf region. The two sides have been jointly focusing on improving connectivity between South East Asia and Central Asia. India has been projecting Iran's .

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday asked SCO member states to guard against "colour revolutions" instigated by "external forces" and asked them to maintain strategic independence and safeguard regional stability, in a veiled attack on the US as it expands its influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Addressing the 22nd SCO summit here in the historic Uzbek city, Xi also announced plans to establish a centre in China to train counter-terrorism personnel by the grouping and mooted a development bank to speed up regional economic integration. Xi congratulated India for taking over the rotating Presidency of the Beijing-based eight-member regional grouping. Here I wish to express China's congratulations to India on assuming the next SCO presidency. We will, together with other member states, support India during its presidency, he said at the summit, also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The once-in-a-century pandemic has continued unabated. Regional conflicts keep flaring up

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday pushed Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the conflict in Ukraine, saying "today's era is not of war" even as he called for finding ways to address the global food and energy security crisis. Modi also underlined the importance of democracy, dialogue and diplomacy during a bilateral meeting with Putin that took place on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this Silk Road city. "Today the biggest worry before the world, especially developing countries, is food security, fuel security, fertilisers. We must find ways on these problems and you will also have to consider it. We will get an opportunity to talk about these issues," Modi said in his opening remarks. On his part, Putin told Modi that he was aware of India's concerns over the Ukraine conflict and that Russia will do everything possible to end it as soon as possible. "I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine. I know about

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday held talks on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). It is the first meeting between the two leaders after the Ukraine conflict broke out in February this year. It is learnt that the two leaders discussed bilateral, regional and global issues. India has not yet criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. New Delhi has been pushing for resolution of the crisis through dialogue.

India assumes rotational annual presidency of SCO summit nations; China, Russia and other countries offer support for summit next year in India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attended the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of the other member states of the influential grouping. It is for the first time that Xi and Modi came face-to-face since the border standoff between India and China escalated following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020. The summit is also being attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and leaders of several central Asian countries. Ahead of the deliberations at the restricted format of the summit, leaders of the permanent members of the grouping posed for a group photo. At the venue of the summit, Modi was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. After the summit, Prime Minister Modi is set to have separate bilateral meetings with Russian President Putin, Uzbek President Mirziyoyev and Iranian President Raisi. Modi arrive

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Uzbekistan's historic city of Samarkand on Thursday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which is set to deliberate on regional security challenges, boosting trade and energy supplies among other issues. The SCO is holding its first in-person summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan after two years. The summit will also see the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Landed in Samarkand to take part in the SCO Summit," Modi tweeted. At the airport, he was welcomed by Uzbek counterpart Abdulla Aripov, ministers, Governor of Samarkand region and senior officials. Modi is also expected to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the summit, including with Putin, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev among other leaders. "At the SCO Summit, I look forward to exchanging views on topical, regional and international issues, the expansion of SCO and further deepening of multifaceted

The ancient and historical city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan is all set to host the 22nd summit of the heads of members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Uzbekistan to attend the SCO summit, India on Thursday said it expects discussions at the forum to cover topical issues, trade, connectivity and regional cooperation. Modi is scheduled to depart for the Uzbek city of Samarkand this evening for a 24-hour visit. At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said Modi will have bilateral meetings with the Uzbek president and some other leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. To a volley of questions on whether there will be a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kwatra did not give a direct reply. We will keep you apprised when schedule of Modi's bilateral meetings unfolds, he said. Asked about Pakistan continuing to back various terror groups, Kwatra said there is a deeply held understanding in SCO about ways to deal with terrorism in region. The member states of the SCO are Russia, China, India, Pakistan, the Ky

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is considered one of the most important conclaves in the Central Asian region

Indian leader will have bilateral meeting with Uzbekistan President at conclave vital for Central Asia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reach Uzbekistan's Samarkand in the evening

Xi and Putin meet face-to-face in Uzbekistan on Thursday in their first sitdown since a Beijing meeting before the Winter Olympics that yielded a lengthy joint statement of more than 5,000 words

After the Samarkand summit, the presidency of the SCO will be handed over to India for the next year till September 2023. New Delhi will most likely host the next SCO summit