Kashmir Impulse Desk
New Delhi, Sep 01
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to move beyond declarations and translate 25 years of cooperation into tangible outcomes, while urging a united approach to terrorism, stronger regional connectivity and greater opportunities for people.
Addressing the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, PM Modi said the grouping should transform its shared geography into shared opportunities at a time of global uncertainty and instability.
“It is a matter of great pleasure for me to be here amongst all of you on this special occasion of the 25th anniversary of the SCO,” he said, thanking Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov for the welcome and hospitality extended to the Indian delegation.
The PM also congratulated Kyrgyzstan on its Independence Day, which India observed with the country the previous day, and extended his greetings to the people and president of Uzbekistan on its Independence Day.
He said the opening ceremony of the World Nomad Games had showcased Kyrgyzstan’s rich culture and the shared heritage of SCO countries.
“This shared heritage and our deep people-to-people connections are among the great strengths of the SCO family,” PM Modi said.
He said the SCO had, over the past 25 years, developed a strong tradition of dialogue and cooperation across Eurasia and made valuable contributions to the well-being of its people and the advancement of humanity.
The PM said that the organisation had laid a strong foundation for cooperation, but the next 25 years should focus on converting that cooperation into tangible results.
“At a time when the world is passing through uncertainty and instability, we must transform our shared geography into shared opportunities. And through our efforts, we must bring about positive change in the lives of our people,” he said.
Recalling India’s vision for the SCO outlined at the previous meeting, PM Modi said its three main pillars were Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.
He called for these pillars to move beyond vision and be translated into concrete outcomes.
The PM said peace and security were the first and foremost requirements for achieving those goals, warning that terrorism remained a serious challenge to humanity.
He said countries could not afford to limit the fight against terrorism to an “action-reaction approach”.
“We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens,” PM Modi said.
He called for SCO members to speak with one voice and make clear that there could be no double standards in dealing with terrorism.
“We must send a strong message to countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide safe haven and support to terrorists that terrorism can never be a strategic asset for anyone,” the PM said.
He linked the SCO’s aspiration for a peaceful and secure Eurasia with peace and stability in Afghanistan.
PM Modi said India had been contributing to Afghanistan’s development and providing humanitarian assistance to its people and would continue to do so.
He said the concept of security had expanded in an interconnected world and pointed to the crisis in West Asia as evidence that conflicts in one region could have consequences far beyond its borders.
The PM said that such conflicts affect energy security, maritime trade and supply chains with countries of the Global South bearing the greatest impact from such disruptions.
“Therefore, India has consistently called for all tensions and conflicts to be resolved not on the battlefield, but through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said.
PM Modi also warned that drug trafficking was more than a criminal issue, describing it as a serious threat to younger generations and regional security.
He welcomed the establishment of SCO centres dealing with security threats, organised crime, information security and narcotics.
The PM called for those centres to become effective mechanisms for practical coordination and timely action.
He identified strong and reliable connectivity as the second pillar of shared development.
PM Modi said that India supports efforts to connect markets, facilitate trade, and create new avenues for development, while stressing that connectivity initiatives must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries.
“This is also the fundamental spirit of the SCO Charter,” he said.
The PM said the scope of connectivity would expand beyond roads, railways and air corridors.
He called for simplified customs procedures, greater use of digital documentation and more efficient logistics networks.
The third pillar, Opportunity, means that the benefits of SCO cooperation should reach people directly, PM Modi said.
He described people-to-people connections as the organisation’s greatest strength and said India viewed the SCO as a confluence of great civilisations, cultures and ideas.
Over the next 25 years, people-to-people ties should remain at the centre of SCO cooperation, the PM said.
He said the success of the organisation should ultimately be measured by the opportunities it creates for young people, the new markets opened for entrepreneurs, the benefits of technology reaching farmers and improvements in the lives of citizens.
“This is the true meaning of ‘Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity,’” PM Modi said.
He said SCO cooperation should not be driven solely by governments but should also be people-driven.
The PM welcomed the emphasis placed on youth engagement under Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship.
He said India had launched initiatives including the SCO Start-up Forum, Young Authors’ Conclave and Young Scientists’ Forum.
PM Modi also recalled India’s proposal last year for an SCO Civilizational Dialogue Forum.
He said he was pleased that the forum’s first session would be held in India this year and expressed confidence that, with the participation of all SCO members, it would develop into a strong platform for dialogue within the organisation.
The PM invoked Kyrgyz literary figure Chingiz Aitmatov, saying the writer had offered a “beautiful and profound thought” that people often focused more on what divided them than on what united them.
He said the message remained relevant to the SCO.
“Our diversity is our identity, and our shared purpose is our strength,” PM Modi said.
He called on SCO members to move forward from Bishkek with a commitment to transform their shared geography into shared opportunities, their vision into outcomes, and government-driven cooperation into people-driven partnership.
“With the same belief and commitment, India is ready to contribute to the SCO family’s shared journey,” the PM said.
