"Goa Gears Up for High-Stakes Talks as Russia's Lavrov Lands for SCO Summit"

The Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states are meeting in Goa, India, for a two-day conference beginning today. The conference is aimed at discussing important geopolitical issues, including economic cooperation among the member states and regional security.

 

Among the foreign ministers attending the meeting are those of China and Pakistan, as well as Russia's Sergey Lavrov, who is also scheduled to have a bilateral meeting with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar later today.

 

It is the second time this year that Lavrov has visited India, having previously attended the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi in March. The SCO meeting comes at a time of heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, particularly following an alleged assassination attempt on Russian President Vladimir Putin, which Russia has blamed on Ukrainians. Against this backdrop, the meeting assumes greater significance.

 

India, hosting the conference, is attaching special importance to the SCO in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic, and people-to-people interactions in the region. The theme of India’s Chairmanship of SCO in 2023 is "Secure-SCO," reflecting its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the member states.

 

The SCO is an intergovernmental organization established in 2001, aimed at promoting regional security and economic cooperation among its members. Before the Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting took place in New Delhi in April, during which Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the Russian defense industry’s participation in India's "Make in India" initiative with his counterpart Rajnath Singh.

 

India has been engaging with the SCO for some time now, promoting its relations with countries in the region with which it shares civilizational linkages. The ongoing engagement with the SCO is considered an important part of India's extended neighborhood.

 

In addition to the conference, India is also hosting a cultural event and a dinner for its counterparts from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The conference is an opportunity for the member states to exchange views and ideas on regional and global issues and to work together toward ensuring the security and prosperity of the region.

 

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