India to Host SCO Summit Virtually on July 4; China, Russia & Pakistan Likely to Attend

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All SCO member states, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, have been invited to attend the Summit.

Under India’s first-ever Chairmanship, the 22nd Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held virtually on July 4, 2023, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the chair. India assumed the rotating chairmanship of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit on September 16, 2022.

All SCO member states, including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, have been invited to attend the Summit. Additionally, Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia have been invited as Observer States. Turkmenistan has also been invited as the guest of the Chair, following SCO tradition. The Heads of the SCO Secretariat and the SCO RATS will be present, along with the Heads of six international and regional organizations who have also been invited.

‘Towards a SECURE SCO’

The theme of the Summit is “Towards a SECURE SCO,” with the SECURE acronym coined by the Prime Minister at the 2018 SCO Summit, representing Security, Economy and Trade, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environment. These themes have been emphasized during India’s Chairmanship of the SCO.

New Pillars of Cooperation

India has established new pillars of cooperation under its Chairmanship, including startups and innovation, traditional medicine, digital inclusion, youth empowerment, and shared Buddhist heritage. Additionally, India has worked towards fostering stronger people-to-people ties that celebrate the historical and civilizational bonds among member nations. This includes various socio-cultural events hosted by Varanasi as the first-ever SCO Cultural and Tourist Capital for 2022-23.

India Hosted 134 Meetings

India’s Chairmanship of the SCO has witnessed extensive activity and mutually beneficial cooperation among member states. A total of 134 meetings and events, including 14 Ministerial-level meetings, have been hosted by India. India remains committed to playing a positive and constructive role in the organization and looks forward to a successful SCO Summit, marking the culmination of its Chairmanship.