EAM Jaishankar In Moscow: India Seeks SCO Reforms, Fair Trade & Zero Tolerance On Terrorism

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking in Moscow at the SCO meeting, congratulated Russia on assuming the SCO Presidency while underscoring the need for transparent, fair and diversified economic partnerships amid global uncertainty. He highlighted India’s ongoing free trade discussions with several SCO members and stressed the deep cultural ties that shape regional cooperation, including PM Modi’s proposal for an SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum. Jaishankar noted India’s humanitarian contributions — from pandemic support and medical supplies to rapid relief following Afghanistan’s earthquakes — and emphasised India’s global initiative on disaster-resilient infrastructure. Supporting SCO modernisation, he backed reforms such as adopting English as an official language and encouraged innovation and youth engagement through the SCO Startup Forum and Young Authors Forum. Reiterating India’s firm stance, he said the SCO must maintain zero tolerance towards terrorism, separatism and extremism. Jaishankar concluded that the organisation must evolve, broaden its agenda and adapt to global shifts — with India