Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to ensure reliable and resilient supply chains to overcome hurdles created by the ongoing Ukraine conflict and Covid-19.
He also called upon the SCO members to work towards better connectivity and grant “full rights” to transit facilities to mitigate disruptions. Modi said the pandemic and the war have created “unprecedented” energy and food crises.
The PM made these assertions in his message at the SCO summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan. The meet was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Leaders of several Central Asian countries too took part in the event.
It was the first time that Modi and Jinping came face to face since the face-offs at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh in May 2020. During a photo-op before the summit, Modi and Jinping stood side by side. However, they avoided any handshake or hug, something routinely did in the past. Earlier this week, armies of the countries disengaged from a standoff site in Gogra-Hot Springs in Eastern Ladakh.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the SCO nations deliberated on the regional security situation and ways to enhance trade and connectivity.
Addressing the summit, Modi said the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.5 per cent this year and that India supports “greater cooperation and mutual trust” among the SCO member states.
“The SCO should strive to develop reliable, resilient and diversified supply chains in our region. For this, better connectivity will be required, as well as it will also be important that we all give full rights of transit to each other,” he said. This call came against the backdrop of Pakistan’s reluctance to provide such a facility for two-way trade between India and Pakistan.
Referring to food insecurity across the globe, the Prime Minister pitched for promotion of the cultivation and consumption of millets.
“The world today faces another major challenge and that is ensuring the food security of our citizens. One possible solution to this problem is to promote the cultivation and consumption of millets,” he said.
Highlighting the qualities of this grain, Modi said, “Millets is a superfood that has been grown for thousands of years, not only in SCO countries but in many parts of the world, and it is a traditional, nutritious and low-cost alternative to the food crisis.” He suggested the SCO should organise “Millet Food Festival”.
On the issue of economic cooperation, Modi said the role of the SCO has become very important when the whole world is facing the challenges of economic recovery after the pandemic.
He pointed out that the SCO member countries contribute about 30 per cent to global GDP, and 40 per cent of the world’s population also resides in member countries of the grouping.
As regards India’s economic upward trajectory, the Prime Minister said, “We are making progress on making India a manufacturing hub. India’s young and talented workforce makes us naturally competitive. India’ economy is expected to grow at 7.5 percent this year, which will be the highest among the world’s major economies.”
Underlining the country’s focus on the proper use of technology in its people-centric development model, the Prime Minister said India is supporting innovation in every sector.
He urged the SCO members to tap this Indian experience as it has more than 70,000 start-ups, including 100 unicorns. The PM added, “For this purpose, we are ready to share our experience with the member countries of SCO by establishing a new Special Working Group on Startups and Innovation.”
Touching upon India’s medical achievements and infrastructure, he said it is today is one of the most affordable destinations for medical and wellness tourism in the world.
“The WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine was inaugurated in Gujarat in April 2022. This will be the WHO’s first and only Global Center for Traditional Medicine,” Modi said.
“We should increase cooperation on traditional medicine among SCO countries. For this, India will take initiative on a new SCO Working Group on Traditional Medicine,” he said.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
Over the years, it has emerged as one of the largest trans-regional international organisations. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in 2017. Iran is likely to be given the status of a permanent member of the SCO at the Samarkand summit.
The SCO is holding its first in-person summit in Samarkand in Uzbekistan after two years since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic which prevented such high-level gatherings.
Uzbekistan on Friday handed over the rotating presidency of the eight-member SCO. India will host the next SCO summit as chairman of the organization in 2023.