Bishkek: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek on Tuesday, with discussions held on boosting bilateral linkages.
In a post on X, PM Modi stated, “Met Mr. Thongloun Sisoulith, President of Lao PDR on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Bishkek. Had a great conversation on boosting bilateral linkages between our nations.”
The Prime Minister also met Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon and expressed India’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with Tajikistan across various sectors.
“Great conversation with Mr. Emomali Rahmon, the President of Tajikistan. India looks forward to boosting cooperation with Tajikistan across diverse sectors,” PM Modi posted on X.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister attended the 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek. In his address at the SCO Summit, PM Modi reiterated India’s stance that all conflicts should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and not through war.
“In today’s interconnected world, the scope of security has expanded even further. The crisis in West Asia has shown that conflict in one region is not confined to that region. It impacts the entire world’s energy security, maritime trade, and supply chains. Countries in the Global South bear the brunt of this. Therefore, India has been calling for the resolution of all tensions and wars through dialogue and diplomacy, not on the battlefield,” he said
The Prime Minister stressed that terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to humanity and called for dismantling the entire ecosystem of terror financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens. He asserted that there can be no room for double standards on terrorism.
“Terrorism continues to pose a serious challenge to humanity. In our fight against it, we cannot limit ourselves to a mindset of action and reaction. We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens,” PM Modi said.
“We must speak with one voice that there can be no room for double standards on this serious issue. Those countries which make terrorism a tool of their policy, provide shelter and support to terrorists, will have to be given a strong message that terrorism cannot be a strategic asset for anyone,” he added.
PM Modi flagged drug trafficking as a serious threat to the young generation and regional security. He welcomed the centres being established within the SCO to address challenges like security threats, organised crime, information security, and narcotics as a “positive step” and called for making them effective instruments of practical coordination and timely action.
(IANS)
