Indian Council of World Affairs

Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Members of the Media, Students & Friends, 

We are honoured to host His Excellency Mr. NURLAN YERMEK-BAYEV, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization today for the Sapru House Lecture on ‘SCO and India: Strengthening Regional Synergies for Cooperation in Eurasia’. It is a privilege to have you deliver the 51st lecture in the prestigious Sapru House Lecture series of the Indian Council of World Affairs, which has previously featured several dignitaries, including Presidents, Prime Ministers, as well as the Secretaries General of multilateral bodies including the UN, ASEAN and IORA.

2.  His Excellency Mr. Nurlan Yermekbayev is a distinguished personality with a unique blend of military, diplomatic, academic, and government experience. Having served in various high-profile roles and key government positions, he brings enormously rich experience to his office. He has been Lieutenant General, Ambassador, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of the Security Council, Minister of Religious Affairs and Civil Society, and Minister of Defence of Kazakhstan, former Deputy Secretary General of the SCO; and its Secretary General now. He is also an accomplished author. His professional journey is truly commendable. On behalf of the Council, I extend our sincere congratulations to him on assuming the office of Secretary General of the SCO in January 2025.

3.  Your Excellency, you have assumed the office at a pivotal and dynamic time, not only for the SCO region but for the world at large. SCO itself is undergoing a significant phase of expansion and transformation. In the last 25 years, it has made remarkable contributions in fostering cooperation across political, security, economic, cultural, and public health areas. The organization holds immense potential to play a pivotal role at a time when a New World Order is emerging, characterized by increasing multipolarity. With Central Asia as its main focus, SCO has to make its own contribution to the geopolitical shifts currently underway in the Eurasian region and beyond.

4.  India attaches great importance to the development of multifaceted cooperation in the SCO and to the promotion of peace, stability, economic development, prosperity and closer interaction between our people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated India’s priorities within the organization through the vision of a ‘SECURE’ SCO—an agenda that emphasizes Security, Economic Cooperation, Unity, Respect for Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity, and Environmental Protection.

5.  Friends, why is India in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization? The answer to that is - to have a say in and contribute to matters pertaining to Eurasian security and development as a key Eurasian country. Dynamics of continental Eurasia have had a direct bearing on India’s security, economy, and cultural calculus since millennia as well as its ethnic diversity, and our destinies are inter-linked. The region’s history and lived experiences shape our current outlook. Stability in Eurasia therefore makes for a conducive environment for India’s own growth story and well-being.   

6.  That is why India takes the position on terrorism and extremism that it does. Regional cooperation to wipe out terrorism is a mission as far as India is concerned and we are appreciative of the work of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in this regard. We do not wish to see extremist ideologies in operation all along the arc from Chechnya and Dagestan to Xinjiang. De-radicalization is a mantra for us and we hope to see SCO strengthen its work in this regard.

7.  Strengthened connectivity and regional peace and stability have the potential to build upon each other. The importance of overland connectivity is lost on no one. SCO faces the challenge of overcoming the geopolitics of the region not the least to ensure unimpeded transit.

8.  SCO is home to myriad ethnicities, traditions, and valuable philosophies and every culture in the SCO space is a great repository of wisdom. India sees high value in the platform that SCO represents for cultural exchange for enhanced mutual understanding.

9.  India’s regional connectivity initiative of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC); its climate friendly global initiatives such as International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, Mission LiFE, and its strengths in MSME and Digital Public Infrastructure, are highly relevant to the SCO and its member countries -offering significant opportunities for mutual benefit.

10.  As the SCO strengthens and grows, the addition of English as a third official language will further facilitate and enhance communication as well as understanding during dialogues in various SCO fora, making the organization functionally more productive and effective.

11.  With this, let me invite the Secretary General H E Mr. NURLAN YERMEK-BAYEV. We look forward to hear your views on how SCO and India can work together for the further strengthening of dialogue and cooperation in Eurasia.

You have the floor Excellency.

Thank You.

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