Goa, 4 May 2023 (TDI): Indian Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar started his diplomatic meetings at the SCO-CFM by meeting Zhang Ming, the Secretary-General of SCO.
Dr. Jaishankar appreciated Secretary-General’s support for India’s SCO Presidency, and described the meeting as a productive interaction, and conveyed that India’s presidency is committed to SECURE SCO. India received the SCO Presidency in 2022 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Indian Foreign Minister will also meet his Chinese and Russian counterparts today at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Foreign Ministers (SCO-CFM).
The Indian Foreign Minister’s meetings with his Chinese and Russian counterparts are immensely important. India’s relationship with both countries is crucial for the success of SCO.
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in India earlier today, and the Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang is also in Goa.
India enjoys friendly ties with Russia independent of SCO. Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, India has defended its right to import Russian oil at discounted rates and avoided being part of imposing sanctions on Russia.
The meeting between the Indian and Chinese Foreign Ministers will take place after the Defense Ministers of both countries hold talks at the SCO Defense Ministers meeting in New Delhi.
Earlier in March this year, the foreign ministers of both countries discussed border issues at the G20 meeting. Foreign Minister Dr. Jaishankar said that both sides tried to discuss real problems “openly and Candidly.”
According to Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, the situation at the border between India and China has eroded the foundation of the bilateral ties between the two countries.
Also Read: India’s diplomatic challenge: Balancing relations with US, China, Russia at G20 Summit
The Indian Foreign Minister will also meet the Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan today.
India sees SCO as a forum to increase its engagement with the Eurasian region by increasing connectivity and taking part in economic development.
