SCO summit: Modi to discuss terrorism in Pakistan's presence
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reportedly focus on India's concern over terrorism in Afghanistan in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on September 16-17. However, PM Modi will not be visiting Tajik capital Dushanbe, where the summit will be held, and address the summit virtually instead. Notably, before the SCO meet, Modi will also virtually participate in the BRICS summit on September 9.
India unlikely to be excessively hostile toward Pakistan
Even though Modi will talk about terrorism in the presence of Pakistan, India may not want to position itself as excessively hostile to its neighbor, The Times of India reported citing sources. While India believes Pakistan sponsors terrorism, the former also thinks that its neighbor's close ties with Russia and China, and influence over the Taliban, are important for stability in Afghanistan, TOI reported.
PM Modi will not name Taliban: Report
Despite India's reservations about the Taliban's links with Pakistan-based terror groups, PM Modi is unlikely to name the group in his statement. This is in line with India's statement on Afghanistan at the UNSC and UNHRC. India is reportedly hopeful about the Taliban's positive response to the concerns expressed by India and it wants to take a "watch and watch" approach.
Taliban assured it will 'positively address' India's concerns over terrorism
Earlier, while establishing the first diplomatic contact with the Taliban, India had reportedly flagged its concerns over the use of Afghanistan's territory by terrorists. Notably, the Taliban representative had then assured India that "these issues would be positively addressed."
India unlikely to send official for anti-terror exercise in Pakistan
Pakistan has proposed a visit by Indian authorities to participate in an anti-terror exercise, which is a part of the SCO protocol. However, Indian authorities are reportedly not very enthusiastic to participate in the exercise as it feels it is futile it do such an exercise in a country that harbors terrorists. Notably, the proposal requires India to send three officials for the event.
Differences between India and Russia, China growing at UNSC
Separately, China and Russia have abstained from voting a UNSC resolution on Afghanistan that India saw as addressing its concerns related to terrorism. For not naming ISIS and ETIM, active in China's Xinjiang, the resolution was perceived by Moscow as an "inclination to divide terrorists into ours and theirs." Russia also slammed Western countries for trying to shift blame US' failure to the Taliban.
What is the SCO?
Created in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), or Shanghai Pact, is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance that aims to maintain peace, security, and stability in the region. The members include China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan. Reports suggest that the main agenda of the SCO summit in September will be the consequences of US actions in Afghanistan.
