Jaishankar thanked the deputy prime minister for the hospitality and arrangements for the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit…reports Asian Lite News
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu in Astana on Tuesday and discussed expanding strategic partnership and India’s increasing engagement with Central Asia.
Jaishankar thanked the deputy prime minister for the hospitality and arrangements for the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit.
The two ministers further exchanged views on regional and global issues.
“Delighted to meet DPM & FM Murat Nurtleu of Kazakhstan in Astana today. Thanked him for the hospitality and arrangements for the SCO Council of Heads of State Summit. Discussed our expanding Strategic Partnership and India’s increasing engagement with Central Asia in various formats. Also exchanged views on regional and global issues,” EAM Jaishankar said in a post on X.
EAM Jaishankar arrived in Astana on Tuesday to represent India at the SCO Summit, which is being held under Kazakhstan’s chairmanship.
The EAM was welcomed by Kazakhstan Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev at the airport.
Jaishankar is leading the Indian delegation at the summit.
The SCO Summit will be held on July 3-4.
The 24th Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State (SCO Summit) will be held under the presidency of Kazakhstan on July 4.
At the Summit, the leaders are expected to review the organization’s activities over the past two decades and discuss the state and prospects of multilateral cooperation. Topical issues of regional and international importance are also expected to be discussed at the meeting, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release.
India’s priorities in SCO are shaped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘SECURE’ SCO, wherein, ‘SECURE’ stands for Security, Economic cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
India, under its first-ever presidency of SCO, hosted the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in virtual format on July 4, 2023.
Kazakhstan took over the SCO presidency from India, which was the president last year.
PM Modi’s SECURE vision
India on Tuesday said that its priorities at the SCO Summit being held in Astana this week under the presidency of Kazakhstan are shaped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of SECURE, which stands for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the leaders attending the summit are expected to review the organisation’s activities over the past two decades and discuss the state and prospects of multilateral cooperation.
Topical issues of regional and international importance are also expected to be discussed at the meeting.
The principle of SECURE reflected the theme of India’s first-ever presidency of SCO, as was asserted by PM Modi during the virtual SCO Summit hosted by New Delhi on July 4, last year.
More than 140 programmes, conferences, and meetings within the SCO were held and five new pillars of cooperation within the SCO – Startups and Innovation; Traditional Medicine; Youth Empowerment; Digital Inclusion, and Shared Buddhist Heritage – established under India’s chairmanship.
It was also under India’s presidency that Iran joined the SCO family as a new member and the signing of the Memorandum of Obligation for Belarus’ SCO membership took place.
“The SCO represents approximately 40 per cent of the world’s population and nearly one-third of the global economy. Therefore, it is our shared responsibility to understand each other’s needs and sensitivities. To resolve all challenges through better cooperation and coordination, and make constant efforts for the well-being of our people,” PM Modi had remarked at the 23rd SCO Summit, last July. (ANI/IANS)
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