India again opted out of supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), becoming the only Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member state not to endorse the project in the New Delhi Declaration signed at the end of the SCO summit.
The SCO Leaders’ Summit was chaired by Indian PM Narendra Modi and held virtually on 4 July. At the meeting, the member states adopted two joint statements, one on digital transformation cooperation and the other on countering radicalisation.
New Delhi Declaration issued after SCO summit:https://t.co/fXU526hcI2
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) July 4, 2023
India Refrains from Supporting BRI
In the declaration, India refrained from supporting China’s BRI initiative, which other member states reaffirmed their support for. BRI is China’s ambitious infrastructure project launched in 2013, seeking to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks.
India continued its earlier stand on the project, which it has opposed because it says that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), an arm of the BRI, violates its territorial integrity and sovereignty.
All other members endorsed the project, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The signatories noted the ongoing work to jointly implement BRI, including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and BRI.
Fight Against Terrorism, Drug Trafficking
The declaration emphasised that the SCO is not directed against other states and international organisations and is open to broad cooperation with them.
The member states highlighted the importance of building up joint coordinated efforts by the international community to counter the activities of terrorist, separatist, and extremist groups.
At the summit, the members also issued a joint statement on “Countering Radicalization leading to Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism.”
In his address at the virtual SCO Summit, Indian PM Narendra Modi took a veiled swipe at Pakistan, urging member states to criticise countries providing shelter to terrorists. Read more:https://t.co/dKNG7Xo6qe#China #India #Pakistan #NarendraModi #Modi #Sharif #SCO
— Statecraft (@statecraftdaily) July 4, 2023
“Member States will continue to cooperate in countering radical ideology and propaganda by promoting ideas of peaceful coexistence of states, respect for religious and cultural diversity, social cohesion and dialogue among civilisations,” the statement read.
Furthermore, the SCO members highlighted the menace of drug trafficking and affirmed that they would conduct joint anti-drug operations regularly.
On Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Weapons; SCO Year of Environment
The Member States parties to the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) said they favour strict observance of the treaty’s provisions.
However, India and Pakistan are two SCO members who have not signed the treaty, and thus, are not a party to the treaty.
In the Delhi Declaration, the member states also advocated keeping outer space weapons-free.
They further emphasised the importance of the conventions on the prohibition and destruction of biological and chemical weapons, and agreed to declare 2024 as the SCO Year of Environment.