Hosted by India, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting of council of heads of the member nations was held on July 4, 2023.
The theme of the SCO summit 2023 was 'SECURE', which stands for security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection.
One of the major outcomes of the 23rd Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of State Summit was the New Delhi Declaration. The name of the Declaration was coined by the Indian government and was proposed at the summit to fight against terrorism. The declaration also proposed four other joint statements on de-radicalization, sustainable lifestyle to tackle climate change, production of millets, and digital transformation.
SCO leaders reportedly sought to forge closer ties and boost cooperation within the expanding Eurasian bloc but stressed the group is not directed against any other states.
The joint declaration also said SCO members oppose bloc, ideological and confrontational approaches to address problems and security challenges.
The SCO leaders were critical of what they said was the negative impact of "unilateral and unlimited expansion of global missile defense systems by certain countries or groups of countries"
Expressing concern about the situation in Afghanistan, the leaders said they consider "it essential to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan with the participation of representatives of all ethnic, religious and political groups in Afghan society.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin during his address at the SCO Summit underlined the need for counterterrorism, and supported the New Delhi Declaration. “Russia supports the New Delhi declaration which gives a consolidated approach to international issues. We will continue to strengthen ties with SCO member states,” he said.
During his virtual address, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “some countries use cross-border terrorism and give safe haven to terrorists” – without naming any country. He also urged the SCO countries to condemn it.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned against the use of terrorism as a ‘bat for diplomatic point-swearing’, and spoke about terrorism as a 'hydra-headed monster' to be fought with 'full conviction' irrespective of its source.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted during his virtual address that the main task of the SCO member nations should be preventing a geopolitical rift between East and West. Tokayev noted that in the context of a radical transformation of the global world order, an unprecedented increase in geopolitical tensions and intensification of trade and sanctions wars and many other modern challenges are taking place.
Established in 2001 by Beijing and Moscow, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization now includes India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
