Rajnath Singh to lead India's delegation at SCO heads of government meet

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at the 25th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's Council of Heads of Government, scheduled for October 19-20 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the government announced on Sunday.

The biennial meeting will bring together leaders from SCO member states to discuss strengthening multilateral cooperation in key areas including trade, economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges, according to a statement from the defence ministry.

India has maintained an active presence across various SCO mechanisms and has been instrumental in advancing regional cooperation initiatives. The country has championed programmes in startups and innovation, digital public infrastructure development, and people-to-people exchanges within the bloc.

The SCO, which includes China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and India, serves as a key platform for regional security and economic cooperation in South and Southeast Asia. Singh's participation underscores India's commitment to engaging constructively within the multilateral framework and advancing shared regional interests.