International: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hailed a 'productive' Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad, which concluded on Wednesday, asserting that India made a positive and constructive contribution to the deliberations there. The minister also signed eight outcome documents at the high-level summit.

At the Summit, Jaishankar underscored the need for a collective approach to ensure peace and development. Jaishankar also asserted that cooperation should be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality that should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty, in an apparent dig at Pakistan and China. He also highlighted three evils that posed as key challenges to the SCO: Terrorism, extremism and separatism.

In his opening remarks, Jaishankar congratulated Pakistan for its presidency of the SCO Council of Heads of Government and said India had extended its full support for a successful presidency. "We meet at a difficult time in world affairs. Two major conflicts are underway, each with its own global repercussions," he said, laying out key global issues for the SCO to focus on like debt, financial volatility and supply chain uncertainties.

Key takeaways at SCO Summit

Jaishankar laid out 8 key takeaways at the SCO Summit in Islamabad as he became the first Indian foreign minister to visit Pakistan in nine years amid strained relations between the two neighbours. These takeaways were listed as follows:

1. Developing a dialogue on the idea of One Earth, One Family, One Future.
2. Outcomes of Indian initiatives like SCO Startup Forum, SWG on Startups and Innovation and Traditional Medicine welcomed by SCO members. 
3. DPI & Digital inclusion becoming part of SCO cooperation framework. 
4. SCO taking inspiration from Mission LiFE to achieving UNSDGs.
5. Enhancing global food security and nutrition through promoting use of climate-resilient and nutritious grains such as millets. 
6. Upholding fair and balanced connectivity projects in accordance with international law, the goals and principles of the UN Charter and SCO Charter.
7. Reemphasising rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive and transparent multilateral trading system with WTO at its core.
8. Opposing protectionist actions, unilateral sanctions, and trade restrictions that undermine the multilateral trading system and impede global sustainable development.

India also extended its best wishes to Russia as it took over the presidency of the SCO Council of Heads of Governments for the upcoming year.

Jaishankar's attack on Pakistan, China

During his speech at Pakistan's Jinnah Convention Centre, Jaishankar emphasised the importance of collaboration among member states to tackle common challenges and highlighted India's commitment to fostering stability and prosperity in the region. Without naming Pakistan targeted for fostering terrorism and underscored it was axiomatic that development and growth require peace and stability. 

"And as the Charter spelt out, this means being firm and uncompromising in countering the ‘three evils’. If activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel," he added.

He said cooperation must be based on mutual respect and sovereign equality. "It should recognise territorial integrity and sovereignty. It must be built on genuine partnerships, not unilateral agendas. It cannot progress if we cherry-pick global practices, especially of trade and transit," he said, in remarks seen as an indirect reference to China's assertive behaviour on key issues.

Who attended the SCO Summit?

Pakistan had assumed the rotating chair of the SCO CHG for 2023-24 at the previous meeting held in Bishkek on October 26, 2023, where the country was represented by then interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Belarus — with 16 more countries affiliated as observers or “dialogue partners”.

Earlier today, Jaishankar exchanged pleasantries with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the second day of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The brief exchange took place at the venue of the SCO summit. Jaishankar and Sharif warmly shook hands with PM Sharif and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and held a very brief interaction.