New Delhi: Giridhar Aramane, the Defence Secretary, emphasised the need to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism in all its forms at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting held on Friday in Astana, the Kazakhstan capital.
A significant protocol was signed during the gathering, highlighting the collective commitment of all SCO members to foster peace and cooperation in the region. The meeting concluded with a Joint Communique that embraced the ethos of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, drawing from the timeless Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
Aramane restated India’s unwavering commitment to maintaining peace, stability, and security in the SCO region. He mentioned New Delhi’s longstanding proposal of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the United Nations. Further, he spotlighted the concept of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’, an initiative proposed by India for the Indo-Pacific. This holistic approach aims to foster a climate of security and prosperity, extending beyond the SCO framework to the wider geopolitical landscape.
The Kazakh Defence Ministry released a statement noting that the heads of the defence departments agreed to develop cooperation between military-historical museums to promote the activities of the armed forces of the member states of the organisation.
The annual meeting, held on April 25-26, was attended by the heads of the defence departments of the SCO member states, the Secretary General, the Director of the Executive Committee of the Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), and Belarus’ Minister of Defence.