India is set to host the 22nd summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in July, marking the first time under its chairmanship. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that the event will be held in a virtual format and all member-countries’ heads of state, including Russia, China, and Pakistan, have been invited.
Originally planned as an in-person event, the summit is scheduled for July 4 and will be chaired by the Prime Minister. Earlier this year, the group’s defence and foreign ministers attended in-person meetings in India.
In addition to member-countries like China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, India has extended invitations to Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia as Observer States. Turkmenistan has also been invited as the guest of the Chair, following SCO tradition. Heads of the two SCO Bodies — the Secretariat and the SCO RATS — will also be in attendance.
Six international and regional organisations — the UN, CIS, CSTO, EAEU, and CICA — have been invited to the summit. India has named the upcoming event ‘Towards a SECURE SCO’, a term coined by Prime Minister Modi at the 2018 SCO Summit, symbolizing Security; Economy and Trade; Connectivity; Unity; Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity; and Environment.
As the Chair, India has introduced new areas of cooperation within the bloc, including Startups and Innovation; Traditional Medicine; Digital Inclusion; Youth Empowerment; and Shared Buddhist Heritage. The country has also focused on enhancing people-to-people ties through various sociocultural events, such as those hosted by Varanasi as part of the first SCO Cultural and Tourist Capital for 2022-23.
Under its chairmanship, India has organized 134 meetings and events, including 14 ministerial-level meetings.
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