Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a speech at this year's SCO summit, his first at a global summit since the Wagner mercenary group staged a mutiny in Russia last month.
Putin expressed Russia's determination to oppose Western sanctions and "provocations" during a virtual meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which includes China and India.
He emphasied Moscow's intention to strengthen its relationship with the group and showed support for transitioning to local currency settlements in foreign trade and cautioned about the increasing potential for conflicts and the rising risk of a global economic crisis.
Putin virtually joined leaders from China, India, Pakistan and four Central Asian countries virtually for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit scheduled for Tuesday, 4 July.
"I would like to thank PM Modi for organising this Summit. Implementation of a lot of documents and the decisions that were prepared for this Summit. Russia supports the New Delhi declaration which gives a consolidated approach to international issues. We will continue to strengthen ties with SCO member states," Putin said.
This year's SCO summit is being chaired by India and comes just a couple of weeks after PM Modi embarked on his first state visit to the United States.
Some of the key topics expected to be discussed at the summit include regional security, economy, food security, climate change and Afghanistan.
Highlights of PM Modi's Address
During his address, the Indian Prime Minister called for all SCO member nations to take a stand against terrorism for regional and global peace. He also mentioned that certain countries resort to cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies and are sheltering terrorists.
"There should be no double standards on terrorism," he added.
PM Modi also spoke about India's role in establishing five pillars of cooperation within the SCO which are: startup and innovation, traditional medicine, youth empowerment, digital inclusion, and shared Buddhist heritage.
Major challenges related to food, fuel and fertilisers were also addressed. PM Modi urged all countries to come together to deal with these issues.
The Prime Minister also welcomed Iran, the newest member country of the SCO. "I am happy that Iran is going to join the SCO family as a new member," he added.
During this summit, an MOU was also signed to initiate the inclusion of Belarus in SCO.
What did Xi Jinping, Lukashenko say at the SCO Summit?
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of safeguarding regional peace and ensuring common security. State media reported that Xi urged member states to follow the right direction, enhance solidarity, and foster mutual trust among each other.
Xi highlighted the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and called for efforts to enhance the synergy between high-quality cooperation under the BRI and the development strategies of various countries and regional cooperation initiatives.
Additionally, Xi encouraged SCO members to prioritize pragmatic cooperation, aiming to expedite economic recovery in the region
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko emphasized the escalating concerns regarding cyberattacks and data theft in his address at the virtual SCO summit.
He acknowledged that member states of the organization are facing growing challenges and threats, including destructive cyberattacks, data theft, and the deliberate dissemination of fake news in the information space.
Lukashenko expressed readiness for collaboration in this domain, highlighting specialist training, joint projects in cyber exercises, and the exchange of technical solutions as potential avenues for cooperation.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)