Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) conference pointed to the new regime in Afghanistan on the pretext of radicalization and the challenges it may pose in the region. In his address, PM Modi said, recent developments in Afghanistan have made the challenge posed by radicalization more clear. Fighting against radicalization is essential not only for regional security and confidence but also for ensuring a bright future for the youth.
PM Modi spoke at the SCO conference with the welcome of new friendly countries. He said, ‘This year we are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of SCO. It is a matter of happiness that new friends are joining us on this auspicious occasion. I welcome Iran as a new member country of SCO. I also welcome the three new dialogue partners, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Qatar.”
PM Modi said, ‘The 20th anniversary of SCO is also an appropriate occasion to think about the future of this institution. I believe that the biggest challenges in this area are related to peace, security and trust-deficit. .And the root cause of these problems is growing bigotry. Recent developments in Afghanistan have made this challenge more clear.”
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SCO should work to build a strong network
In his address, he said, the SCO should work to develop stronger links between liberal, tolerant and inclusive institutions and traditions associated with Islam. PM Modi said, ‘In India and in almost all the countries of the SCO, there are liberal, tolerant and inclusive institutions and traditions associated with Islam. SCO should work to develop a strong network between them. In this context, I appreciate the useful work being done by the RATS mechanism of SCO.
The Prime Minister said that if we look at the history, we will find that the region of Central Asia has been a bastion of liberal, progressive cultures and values. Traditions like Sufism flourished here over the centuries and spread throughout the region and the world. We can still see their image in the cultural heritage of this region.
He said, ‘Whether it is technology like UPI and RuPay card to increase financial inclusion, or digital platforms like Aarogya-Setu and Kovin in our fight against Corona, all these we have voluntarily shared with other countries as well.’
India committed to enhance connectivity with Central Asia
Emphasizing on connectivity in the Asian region, PM Modi said that India is committed to increasing its connectivity with Central Asia. We believe that landlocked Central Asian countries can benefit immensely by connecting with India’s vast market. No connectivity initiative can be one sided.
He said that connectivity projects should be consultative, transparent and participatory to ensure mutual trust. These should include respect for the territorial integrity of all countries.
