Collective efforts to counter terrorism, separatism & extremism to dominate SCO Summit agenda

Strengthening collective efforts to counter terrorism, separatism, and extremism will dominate the agenda of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, echoing India’s approach in countering international terror, scheduled for September 1 in Bishkek.

India's key focus at SCO over the years has been on strengthening mechanisms to counter cross-border terror and dismantling terror infrastructure in the Eurasian and Af-Pak region. Central Asian states have been worried over the growing network of cross-border extremists in Eurasia. SCO is the only regional organisation that has a dedicated body -- RATS -- on counter-terrorism. RATS has been useful to fight extremism across Eurasian region.

PM Narendra Modi who is expected to attend the Summit will highlight India’s resolve to fight the menace of cross-border terror, hinted persons familiar with the matter.


The 2025 SCO Declaration adopted by consensus, echoing India’s views had strongly condemned “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and had called on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists, with the central role of the United Nations, by fully implementing the relevant UN Security Council resolution and the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy in accordance with the UN Charter and the principles of international law, in order to jointly combat all terrorist organizations”.

The SCO Member States at the 2025 Tianjin Summit had also strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025 and had expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They had further stated that perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice, according to the Summit Declaration.

In his statement at the Opening session of the Tianjin SCO Summit, Modi, in the presence of the Pakistani PM, had come down heavily on cross-border terror and terror financing. “Terrorism is not only a threat to the security of individual nations, but a shared challenge to all of humanity. No country, no society, no citizen can consider themselves completely safe from it. That is why India has consistently stressed the importance of unity in the fight against terrorism,” the Indian PM had affirmed.

On the sidelines of the Summit in Bishkek PM Modi could also meet the leaders of Russia and China besides Central Asian leaders. Modi will also visit Tashkent on a bilateral trip besides Kyrgyzstan.

Advancing financial mechanisms like the proposed SCO Development Bank and Investment Fund will also be on the agenda of the Summit.