PM Modi at SCO shares India's perspective on regional, global situation including Afghanistan: MEA

Samarkand [Uzbekistan], September 16 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Friday shared India's perspective on the regional and international situation and the issues of regional peace and security including in Afghanistan, said Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Friday.
Addressing a special briefing on PM Modi's visit to Uzbekistan, the foreign secretary highlighted the Afghanistan situation, terrorism, aspirations of Central Asian regions and connectivity.
"PM Modi shared India's perspective in the regional and international situation and the regional peace and security issues, including the issue in Afghanistan. Issues of development and the region and all over the world are a matter of agenda item under the SCO discussions," he said higlighing key interventions of PM Modi.
Kwatra also said that PM Modi also emphasised on the centrality and aspirations and needs of the Central Asian Republics in the SCO.
"Need for greater cooperation to fight terrorism in the region, and in this context, he (PM Modi) emphasised role that SCO can play including through the work of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) organisation," he said.
PM Modi also emphasised the need for better regional connectivity, which is essential for great economic and trade corporation between India and other SCO member countries, India and Central Asia.
"...and in this context the entire membership including the prime minister welcomed the inclusion of Iran as the member state of SCO during this summit. Chabahar and another important project for regional connectivity along with India north-south transport corridor were also mentioned in Prime Minister's interventions," Foreign Secretary noted.
Addressing further, Kwatra said that Prime Minister also reiterated his support for the ongoing expansion of the organisation. and in this context, "we welcomed Iran and Belarus as new member states, of course, the two are in different stages of the process in terms of their onboarding as a member state, and also the inclusion of UAE, Maldives, Bahrain, Kuwait and Myanmar as new dialogue partners of the SCO.
Meanwhile, PM Modi thanked all the member states of SCO for endorsing Varanasi as the first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital during the upcoming year 22-23.
Meanwhile, a large number of documents were signed at both levels -- Heads of State in government and at the function level.
"Among the outcomes of the meeting, the leaders adopted a statement in response to climate change. SCO has also decided to create a special working group on startup and innovation," he said. (ANI)