NEW DELHI: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) should address issues such as respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and non-discriminatory trade rights in the context of connectivity projects, India said on Thursday in a thinly veiled swipe at China.
Delivering a speech on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO Summit in the Kazakhstan capital of Astana, external affairs minister S Jaishankar pointed to mutual respect for territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs and non-use of force being the basis for the foreign policies of the nine members of the bloc.
The remarks came against the backdrop of India’s opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) since a key part of it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and its concerns about China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Indian officials have pointed in the past to the lack of a level playing field in projects under the BRI.
The text of Modi’s remarks to the SCO Summit noted that economic development requires robust connectivity, which can facilitate trust between societies. “Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is essential for connectivity and infrastructure projects. So too are non-discriminatory trade rights and transit regimes. The SCO needs to deliberate seriously on these aspects,” the text said.
The SCO is a principle-based organisation and consensus drives the approach of its member states. It is “particularly noteworthy that we are reiterating mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, equality, mutual benefit, non-interference in internal affairs, non-use of force or threat of use of force as a basis for our foreign policies”, the text added.
The speech also highlighted the issue of combating terrorism, which was one of the “original goals” of the SCO. “Many of us have had our experiences, often originating beyond our borders. Let us be clear that if left unchecked, it can become a major threat to regional and global peace,” the text said, in an apparent reference to India’s concerns about cross-border terror from Pakistan.
The world community must isolate and expose countries that harbour terrorists, provide safe havens and condone terrorism, and cross-border terror requires a “decisive response” and terror financing and recruitment must be resolutely countered.
The speech also referred to challenges such as climate change and the proper use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. India is working towards a committed reduction in emissions, transition to alternate fuels, adoption of electric vehicles and building climate-resilient infrastructure. It is also among countries to formulate a national strategy on AI and is working within the SCO framework on a roadmap for AI cooperation.
The Indian side expressed its condolences at the recent death of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash while congratulating Iran on attending the SCO Summit as a member of the bloc. It also congratulated President Aleksandr Lukashenko on Belarus becoming a new member of the SCO.
The SCO, which was established in June 2001, includes Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India was represented at the summit in Astana by Jaishankar following Modi’s decision to skip the meet.
