File image of Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar
| Picture Credit score: by way of Reuters

Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will symbolize India on the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Astana subsequent week as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to skip it.

Mr. Modi is ready to go to Russia from July 8 to 9 in his first journey to that nation in practically 5 years. After concluding the go to to Russia, he’s more likely to journey to Austria on July 9 on a two-day journey.

It’s learnt that Mr. Modi determined to skip the SCO summit in view of his deliberate two-nation journey to Russia and Austria. There isn’t any official affirmation on Mr. Modi’s go to to the 2 international locations but.

The SCO summit to be held on July 3 and 4 is predicted to deal with the regional safety scenario and methods to spice up connectivity and commerce.

“The Indian delegation on the SCO summit will probably be led by exterior affairs minister S. Jaishankar,” Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated at his weekly media briefing on Friday.

The scenario in Afghanistan, the Ukraine battle and boosting total safety cooperation among the many SCO member international locations are anticipated to determine within the summit.

The SCO comprising India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan is an influential financial and safety bloc that has emerged as one of many largest transregional worldwide organisations.

Typically, the Indian prime minister participates within the SCO summit.

In a cellphone dialog on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi conveyed to Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev India’s full assist for the success of the summit.

Kazakhstan is internet hosting the summit in its capability as the present chair of the grouping.

India was the chair of the SCO final yr. It hosted the SCO summit within the digital format in July final yr.

India’s affiliation with the SCO started in 2005 as an observer nation. It turned a full member state of the SCO on the Astana summit in 2017.

India has proven a eager curiosity in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Construction (RATS), which particularly offers with points regarding safety and defence.

The SCO was based at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Pakistan turned its everlasting member together with India in 2017.