India says priorities at SCO Summit shaped by PM Modi's SECURE vision

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) India on Tuesday said that its priorities at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit being held in Astana this week under the presidency of Kazakhstan are shaped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of SECURE, which stands for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the 24th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State which will be held on Thursday.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the leaders attending the summit are expected to review the organisation's activities over the past two decades and discuss the state and prospects of multilateral cooperation.

Topical issues of regional and international importance are also expected to be discussed at the meeting.

The principle of SECURE reflected the theme of India's first-ever presidency of SCO, as was asserted by PM Modi during the virtual SCO Summit hosted by New Delhi on July 4, last year.

More than 140 programmes, conferences, and meetings within the SCO were held and five new pillars of cooperation within the SCO - Startups and Innovation; Traditional Medicine; Youth Empowerment; Digital Inclusion, and Shared Buddhist Heritage - established under India's chairmanship.

It was also under India's presidency that Iran joined the SCO family as a new member and the signing of the Memorandum of Obligation for Belarus' SCO membership took place.

"The SCO represents approximately 40 per cent of the world's population and nearly one-third of the global economy. Therefore, it is our shared responsibility to understand each other's needs and sensitivities. To resolve all challenges through better cooperation and coordination, and make constant efforts for the well-being of our people," PM Modi had remarked at the 23rd SCO Summit, last July.