Modi said in SCO: Recent developments in Afghanistan are a big challenge, the root cause of these problems is increasing radicalism

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit meeting via video conferencing. During his address, he congratulated the people of Tajikistan on the thirtieth festival of independence. He said that this year we are also celebrating the 20th anniversary of SCO. The good thing is that new people are also joining this organization. The addition of new partners will make the SCO more credible. The PM welcomed the three new dialogue partners - Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar - on the occasion.

Radicalism is a challenge, time to think about the future

The Prime Minister said that the 20th anniversary of SCO is also an occasion to think about the future of this organization. The growing cause of these problems is radicalization. Recent events in Afghanistan have made this challenge more apparent. SCO should take initiative on this issue. If we look at history, then the region of Central Asia has been a stronghold of progressive culture 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.

The PM said, "For this heritage of Central Asia, the SCO should create a common template to fight extremism. In India and almost all the countries of the SCO, there are liberal, tolerant, and inclusive institutions and traditions associated with Islam. SCO Work should be done to develop a strong network between them. In this context, I appreciate the useful work being done by the RATS mechanism of SCO."

20th anniversary an opportunity to reflect on the future of SCO

During the address, Modi said, “The 20th anniversary of the SCO is also an appropriate occasion to think about the future of this institution. I believe that the biggest challenges in this area come from the trust deficit. Related. Now for this SCO should also step in. We have to work further with all SCO partners.

Youth must move towards rational thinking

The PM said, "Fighting radicalization is necessary for regional security and mutual interests. It is also necessary for our youth. We have to lead our talented youth towards rational thinking. We have partnered with SCO Partners to develop an open-source technology. Will be happy to share and organize capacity building. The economic potential of this region has also been left untapped due to radicalization and insecurity. Be it mineral wealth or something else we will have to focus on increasing connectivity. Central Asia for connectivity forever India is committed to increasing connectivity with Central Asia. We believe that landlocked Central Asian countries can benefit immensely by connecting with India's vast market.

The Prime Minister said that no connectivity initiative can be one-way. These projects should be transparent and participatory. These should respect the territorial integrity of all countries. SCO should make suitable rules for this. Connectivity projects will only work to connect us and not increase distance. For this, India is ready for every effort from its side.