India Opposes China’s Belt and Road Initiative

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New Delhi

India’s opposition to China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) in the Delhi Declaration issued after the virtual SCO summit. The declaration said that except for India, all other SCO member states have reiterated their support of the BRI.

“Reaffirming their support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan note the ongoing work to jointly implement the project,” the declaration said. Including efforts to link the Eurasian Economic Union and the creation of the BRI. ,

Earlier in his opening speech at the SCO summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without directly referring to the controversial BRI project, had said that strong connectivity is important for the region’s progress, but it is also necessary to maintain regional stability. the integrity of member states.

“Strong connectivity is vital for the progress of any region. Better connectivity not only enhances mutual trade, but also fosters mutual trust. However, in these efforts, it is necessary to uphold the basic principles of the SCO Charter, especially respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the member states,” Modi said.

The prime minister also said at the same time that “after Iran’s membership in the SCO (it joined as the ninth member of the grouping at the virtual summit), we are working towards maximizing the use of the Chabahar port.” Can”.

“The International North-South Transport Corridor can serve as a safe and efficient route for landlocked countries in Central Asia to access the Indian Ocean. We must strive to realize its full potential,” said the Prime Minister.

On earlier occasions too, India did not support BRI in SCO while other members supported the project.

The SCO summit was held virtually under the chairmanship of India and saw the participation of President Xi Jinping of China, President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan.