SCO summit:-

Digital Diplomacy Prevails: India Transforms SCO Summit into a Global Virtual Gathering

India has announced that it will host the upcoming summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) virtually, putting an end to speculations about the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in India. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will assume the role of chairperson for the summit, which is slated to take place on July 4th. 

India, currently holding the presidency of the Eurasian group, had previously invited leaders from all member countries for the summit, which would have marked the first in-person meeting under India's presidency. 

However, given the current strained relations with China and Pakistan, India opted for a virtual format to avoid potential diplomatic challenges.

Navigating Diplomatic Crossroads: India's Virtual SCO Summit Sidesteps Tensions with China and Pakistan

By hosting the summit virtually, India also alleviates the need for President Xi and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to make back-to-back visits to India. This decision comes as India is preparing to host the G20 summit in September. 

The ongoing boundary dispute with China has severely impacted relations between the two countries, leading to a lack of bilateral meetings between Modi and Xi since the military standoff in eastern Ladakh last year. 

Similarly, relations with Pakistan have hit a low point, making a bilateral meeting between Modi and Sharif highly unlikely.

Diplomatic Spotlight: BRICS Summit Paves the Way for Modi, Xi, and Putin's Diplomatic Engagement

Before the G20 summit, Modi, Xi, and Putin are expected to convene at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg in August. In the meantime, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar will engage with his Chinese and Russian counterparts at the Brics foreign ministers' meeting in Cape Town this week. 

Although there have been some speculations regarding scheduling conflicts for an in-person summit, diplomatic sources have chosen not to comment on the matter.

Inclusive Leadership: India's SCO Presidency Welcomes Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia as Observers

During the previous summit held in Samarkand, India took on the presidency of the SCO, and for the forthcoming summit, it has extended invitations to Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia to participate as observer states.

The theme of the summit, as announced by the Indian government, is 'Towards a SECURE SCO'. The acronym SECURE, coined by Modi during the 2018 summit, represents Security, Economy and Trade, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environment.

Preserving Momentum: India's Virtual SCO Summit Safeguards Engagement in Troubled Times

The Indian government highlighted the period of active engagement and mutually beneficial cooperation between member states during India's chairmanship of the SCO. 

As tensions persist with China and Pakistan, hosting the virtual summit allows India to maintain its leadership role within the organization while minimizing potential conflicts on its home turf.

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