SCO Summit to adopt document on countering terror and extremism

ASTANA(KAZAKHSTAN): The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit being held here under the Kazakhstan Presidency will adopt an important document to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, echoing India's stand on countering terrorism and radicalisation in the Eurasian region.

The July 3-4 summit will also discuss an anti-drug strategy to counter the rising menace of drug addiction.

Recent arrests of terrorists in Kyrgyzstan and earlier in Tajikistan have established ISIS links emanating from Afghanistan. The Indian establishment has been closely monitoring the spread of ISIS influence in Eurasia and its impact across the border in India, ET has learnt. What has come to their notice is recent ISIS literature that aims to target India, according to sources.


The SCO summit will give the Indian delegation, led by the external affairs minister, an opportunity to engage with the leaders of Central Asia besides Russia and make a strong pitch for the need to counter terrorism and extremism. The SCO is the only organisation that has a dedicated centre - RATS - to counter terrorism.

Counter-terrorism is figuring high on India's agenda with the Central Asian states. New Delhi is keeping a close watch on efforts by some state and non-state actors to radicalise the youth in the Central Asian region.

Kazakhstan assumed the SCO chairmanship in July 2023. The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has emphasised that the summit will present the initiative "On world unity for a just peace and harmony".

This document will lay down the principles of strengthening confidence-building measures, maintaining stability and security, ET has learnt. And the main task of this document is to prevent a geopolitical fault between the East and the West, sources here said.

Tokayev noted that the Astana SCO summit will be held under the slogan "Strengthening multilateral dialogue - the pursuit of sustainable peace and development".

Kazakhstan has also put forward major initiatives to create the SCO Investment Fund and a base of economic preferences. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will take part in the upcoming SCO summit.

The SCO was created in 2011. Over the years, the organisation has gradually become multidisciplinary and multifunctional, where political, economic and humanitarian aspects of interaction are equally prioritised. Currently, the SCO region accounts for almost half of the world's population, its space occupies about a quarter of the earth's landmass, and its total GDP exceeds $23 trillion.