SCO members mustn't seek military superiority in adjacent areas: Doval

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, March 29

At a meeting attended by all members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), including China and Pakistan, here on Wednesday, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval called on the grouping to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity and seek no unilateral military superiority in adjacent areas. China is a founding member of the SCO and Doval’s observations indicated its massive build up on the border with China.

India, he said, was ready to cooperate on investing and building connectivity in the region, but it was important to ensure that such initiatives were consultative, transparent and participatory. India was also committed to including Iran’s Chabahar port within the framework of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), he said. The St Petersburg-Mumbai route was also discussed in Moscow between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov.

The NSA said global security was faced with several challenges on account of developments in recent years. “The SCO region is also affected by the impact of these challenges. In my view, however, the goals and vision of the SCO as enshrined in its charter can show us the path forward,” he said.

Pakistan and China participated in the meeting via a video link. China had a high-level participant in Wang Xiaohong, State Councillor and Minister of Public Security, while Pakistan, in the absence of a regular NSA, was represented by Amir Hassan, Secretary, National Security Division.

Virtual representation by both the countries, who are at odds with India over security and strategic issues, would mean that their Defence Ministers may not turn up for the SCO Ministerial to be held here. It also casts a shadow on the SCO Foreign Ministers’ meeting planned in Goa.

Doval later bilaterally met several of his counterparts, including Russian NSA Nikolai Patrushev.

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