What happened: India’s Prime Minister’s statement at the 26th SCO Summit (Bishkek)
The Prime Minister of India addressed the 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, during a period marked by the 25th anniversary of the SCO. The Prime Minister also referred to independence-day occasions for Kyrgyzstan (on the previous day) and Uzbekistan (on the day of the statement), and linked these celebrations to themes of culture and people-to-people connections within the SCO.
What happened: India’s proposed direction for the next 25 years of SCO cooperation
The Prime Minister stated that, over the past 25 years, the SCO built a tradition of dialogue and cooperation across Eurasia. The next 25-year goal, as stated, is to translate cooperation into tangible outcomes for people by converting shared geography into shared opportunities.
Background and earlier position: India’s “S – Security, C – Connectivity, O – Opportunity” pillars
At a previous SCO meeting, the Prime Minister outlined three main pillars for India’s vision for the SCO: - Security: peace and security in Eurasia. - Connectivity: connecting markets and trade while respecting sovereignty. - Opportunity: benefits of SCO cooperation reaching people directly. The statement argued that the time has come to move these pillars beyond vision and into concrete outcomes.