In reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar stated on Tuesday during a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government, which was hosted by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. To increase bilateral trade with Central Asian nations, Dr. Jaishankar also advocated for increased trade through Iran’s Chabahar port and the International North South Transport Corridors (INSTC), of which India is a member. All nations were listed in a joint statement that was released after the meeting, with the exception of India, and they “reaffirmed their support for the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative,” “including the work to promote the alignment of the ‘Belt and Road’ construction with the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union,” according to the statement.
“Our entire trade with SCO Members is currently only $141 billion, but this figure has enormous growth potential. Dr. Jaishankar made this statement at a meeting that also featured the foreign ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as well as Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Pakistan’s Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. China accounts for the majority of India’s commerce with the SCO nations, which this year exceeded $100 billion, while trade with Russia amounts to less than $20 billion. Less than $2 billion in trade is conducted with Central Asian nations, while $500 million or so is exchanged with Pakistan.
In a series of tweets that summarised his address, Dr. Jaishankar criticised China’s BRI, asserting that “Connectivity initiatives should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and follow international law.” Parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), which India claims, are traversed by the BRI. India has been constructing and promoting the Shahid Beheshti terminal in Chabahar and the connection through the INSTC as an alternative to the BRI and transit commerce through Pakistan. The BRI, which consists of several infrastructure projects that traverse via Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, has been declined by India. During the SCO conference in Samarkand last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi again criticised Pakistan for denying India “full transit rights” to Central Asia.
Represented India at the meeting of SCO Council of Heads of Government which has just concluded.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (Modi Ka Parivar) (@DrSJaishankar) November 1, 2022
-Underlined that we need better connectivity in the SCO region built on centrality of interests of Central Asian states. pic.twitter.com/9EjQrekpaX
On the basis of the paramountcy of Central Asian states’ interests, “[I] stressed the importance for improved connectivity in the SCO region. “[This] will unlock the economic potential of this region, where Chabahar Port and the International North South Transport Corridor could become enablers,” Dr. Jaishankar wrote in his tweets.
Dr. Jaishankar stated that India will “foster greater cooperation with SCO Member States on countering the food crisis,” particularly with millet grains, without specifically mentioning the Ukraine conflict or Russia’s decision to halt the grain initiative following this week’s drone attack in the Black Sea. Without specifically mentioning U.S. and European Union sanctions on Russia, all nations, according to the SCO joint communique, also criticised the “imposition of unilateral economic restrictions not endorsed by the UN Security Council” and stated the penalties “adversely influence” the world economy.
The External Affairs Minister highlighted India’s commitment to tackling the issue of climate change as well as our progress in this area. He also noted India’s rapid economic recovery following the pandemic, according to the Ministry of External Affairs’ statement.
Each year, the SCO Heads of Government convene to discuss the organization’s trade and economic agenda and to adopt the SCO’s annual budget. India has assumed the role of SCO Chair and will welcome all SCO leaders, including those from China and Pakistan, at a summit in Delhi that is anticipated for mid-2023.