Bishkek, April 27: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on Monday to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers’ meeting. The SCO includes member countries such as India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus.
The Indian Embassy in Bishkek announced on the social media platform ‘X’ that “Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has arrived in Bishkek for the SCO member countries’ Defense Ministers’ meeting on April 27-28, where he was welcomed at Manas Airport by the ambassador.”
Before departing for Kyrgyzstan, Singh stated that he would highlight India’s commitment to global peace amid ongoing security challenges worldwide. He will also reiterate India’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy against terrorism and extremism.
In a post on ‘X’, he wrote, “I am heading to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to attend the SCO Defense Ministers’ meeting tomorrow. I will present India’s commitment to global peace amid current security challenges. I will also discuss India’s strict policy against terrorism and extremism. Additionally, I will hold bilateral meetings with my counterparts from SCO countries and meet with the Indian community in Bishkek.”
During the meeting scheduled for Tuesday, defense ministers from various SCO member countries will discuss several security-related issues. According to the Ministry of Defense, topics such as international peace, combating terrorism, and defense cooperation among member nations will be on the agenda.
The ministry also noted that this year’s SCO meeting comes at a time of geopolitical tension concerning the situation in West Asia. Consequently, discussions may also revolve around how to mitigate the impacts of ongoing conflicts.
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