Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh reiterated India’s dedication to its collaboration with Central Asia and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Attending the SCO Conference on ‘Central Asia – The Core of SCO: A Space of Peace and Joint Development’ in Dushanbe, Singh emphasized India’s priorities within the group. He mentioned youth engagement, cultural exchanges, regional connectivity strengthening, and civilizational linkages, including hosting the 1st SCO Civilization Dialogue Forum in Kolkata next month.
Singh, on a two-day official visit to Dushanbe, participated in the SCO conference hosted by Tajikistan, the current Chair of the SCO Heads of Government Council. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the conference theme aligns with India’s focus on youth, culture, and civilization. India views Central Asia as an extended neighborhood and a crucial partner in enhancing regional connectivity, security, and prosperity.
During the visit, Singh is set to engage in bilateral meetings with counterparts from member states on the conference’s sidelines. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed initiating a Civilizational Dialogue Forum within the SCO last September to promote stronger people-to-people ties and cultural understanding. This proposal was made during the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in China’s Tianjin.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded on June 15, 2001, with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as its founding members. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024, expanding the total member states to 10. The SCO also includes two observer states, Afghanistan and Mongolia, and 14 dialogue partners, such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, and others.
