New Delhi has rejected speculation that it was preparing to hold the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State meeting under its ongoing presidency in physical form.
“There were queries that we had already announced the summit in physical format. I am not aware of any such announcement or anything of that nature,” Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a press conference in New Delhi on Friday.
“We have now communicated to SCO partners about this event being held in virtual format. Our expectation is that everybody will be able to join,” the Indian official added.
Bagchi said that India’s decision to hold the leaders’ meeting in virtual mode was dictated not by a “single factor” but a “totality of various factors”.
“As you are aware, many international summits in recent years have taken place in virtual format… We decided that the upcoming summit of the SCO is done in the same manner, that is virtual. Preparations for the successfully holding and organizing of the summit are underway. We are confident that it will produce notable outcomes. It will be a success,” the Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated.
New Delhi has said that all the SCO member states— China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan—have been invited to attend the leaders’ meeting.
It said that Iran, Belarus and Mongolia have been invited to the meeting as “observer states”. Further, Turkmenistan has also been invited as the “guest of the chair”.