India News Highlights: India hosts SCO summit today; No discussion on opposition leader's post at Maha Congress meeting

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Uddhav faction takes dig at Shinde bloc MLAs who blamed NCP for bid to destroy Shiv Sena

Following the admission of nine NCP leaders to the Maharashtra cabinet, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has attacked Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s-led bloc with a video of its leaders blaming the NCP for attempting to destroy the Shiv Sena.
The video, headed “What say now?” and shared on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena faction’s social media profile on Monday, features footage of speeches from certain MLAs of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena who revolted against their party leadership in June last year and joined hands with the BJP.
The movie concludes with a clip from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar’s inauguration ceremony on Sunday.
Ajit Pawar on Sunday led a vertical split in the party to become deputy chief minister in the one-year-old Shiv Sena-BJP government, shocking his uncle Sharad Pawar, who founded the outfit 24 years ago after quitting the Congress.

Delhi High Court LIVE Updates

Delhi HC allows TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to withdraw plea alleging ‘illegal’ custody

The Delhi High Court allowed TMC leader Anubrata Mondal to drop his habeas corpus plea, which claimed that his prolonged detention in a money laundering case relating to cattle smuggling in West Bengal was unlawful.

A bench led by Justice Siddharth Mridul told Mondal’s lawyer that his appeal, which claimed there was no legitimate judicial order remanding him in judicial custody, would not be admissible and gave him the liberty to commence necessary legal processes.

A habeas corpus petition is used to bring a person who is in illegal custody or imprisonment before a court.

“After some submissions the counsel for the petitioner seeks leave to withdraw the present habeas corpus petition with liberty to initiate appropriate proceedings as per law. Leave granted. Petition is dismissed (as withdrawn),” the bench, also comprising Justice Gaurang Kanth said.

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar will be Maharashtra CM after August 11: Report

Ajit Pawar, who took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Sunday, “will be crowned Maharashtra’s chief minister after the Monsoon Session of Parliament ends on August 11,” according to a report.

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar will disqualify all 16 MLAs of Shiv Sena, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who will then be asked to resign from his post leading to dissolution of the council of ministers, Rediff reported quoting insiders.

The report claimed that this “formula took shape in Delhi with the blessings of the BJP’s central leadership.”

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Maharashtra LIVE Updates

No discussion on opposition leader’s post at Maha Congress meeting; party decides to ‘wait and watch’

According to a senior official, the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting on Tuesday did not debate the topic of the official of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly and instead agreed to “wait and watch” amid political events in the state.

It was previously reported that the Congress will consider claiming the job of LoP when Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar resigned and joined the Shiv Sena-BJP cabinet.

The Congress resolved to focus on strengthening the party as well as the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), of which it is a component along with the NCP and the Shiv Sena (UBT), at the CLP meeting held at Vidhan Bhavan here, according to the leader.

The meeting was attended by AICC incharge of Maharashtra HK Patil and 39 out of 45 MLAs including CLP leader Balasaheb Thorat.

SCO Summit LIVE Updates

Russia backs New Delhi declaration on consolidated approach to global issues, says Putin at SCO meet

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia supports the New Delhi Declaration, which provides a unified approach to world challenges, and that Russia would continue to improve ties with SCO member nations.

Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for organising the SCO summit, Putin said, “Implementation of a lot of documents and the decisions 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.”

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Uniform Civil Code LIVE Updates

It’s time to implement UCC, says Vice-President

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar stated on Tuesday that the time has come to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as envisioned by the Constitution’s founding fathers.

According to him, Article 44 of the Constitution clearly specifies that the state will seek to safeguard the UCC for its inhabitants across the country.

“This was the thought process of the founding fathers. The time has come for its implementation and there can be no impediment or further delay”, he stated.

The Vice-President was speaking at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati’s 25th convocation.

PM Modi LIVE Updates

PM Modi engaged cooperatives, corporates and NGOs to boost India’s development: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday that the country’s growth has accelerated in the previous nine years, thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to involve cooperatives, corporations, non-governmental organisations, and individuals in the process.

Shah was virtually addressing a crowd while laying the foundation stone for a Sainik School that will be built under a public-private partnership (PPP) in Mehsana, Gujarat.

The Sainik School, which will be built in Boriyavi village in Mehsana district, is part of the Centre’s ambition to build 100 such schools through a public-private partnership (PPP).

Shah said PM Modi gave a call to set up 100 Sainik Schools in partnership model, and the Motibhai Chaudhary Sagar Sainik School being set up in Mehsana under the PPP model will be the 20th such school to provide students a simple and easy path to enter the armed forces.

The pace of development during the past governments was slow, he said.

Kashmir LIVE Updates

Kashmir to get respite from above-average day temperatures soon: IMD official

This year’s weather has been inconsistent in the Kashmir Valley, with an extended stretch of cold being followed by a dramatic spike in temperature, causing hardship to both tourists and inhabitants.

The weatherman attributes the rising temperatures to the valley’s lengthy dry period. 

“We have witnessed dry spells which have resulted in rise in temperatures. In the month of July, temperature is likely to remain around 30 to 31 degrees Celsius in the valley and 35 degrees Celsius in Jammu. It is summer here and the weather is not unusual,” Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus told PTI. 

He said while the temperature is very high, there are no heatwave conditions. 

This year the highest temperature was recorded at 35 degrees Celsius in June, he added.

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar-led group has no right to sack me as Maha NCP president: Jayant Patil

On Tuesday, Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil stated that the group led by Ajit Pawar has no authority to remove him from his position.

He also stated that all 53 NCP MLAs support party president Sharad Pawar.

The Ajit Pawar group had selected Sunil Tatkare as the Maharashtra NCP president in place of Jayant Patil the day before. It further requested that the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker remove Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad from the House.

NCP chairman Sharad Pawar had ousted the party’s working president Praful Patel and general secretary Tatkare for indulging in “anti-party activities” just hours before Jayant Patil was replaced by the Ajit Pawar faction.

The action was taken against Patel and Tatkare after they attended the swearing-in ceremony of Ajit Pawar who took oath as deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP cabinet on Sunday, while eight NCP MLAs joined as ministers.

PM Modi LIVE Updates

PM Modi talks tough at SCO, says some nations using cross-border terrorism as policy, sheltering terrorists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took an indirect jibe at Pakistan for “harboring terrorists” and called the SCO members to come together and fight the menace.

“Terrorism is a threat to global peace. it is important to take decision to curb this. We have to fight this together,” PM Modi said in his address at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2023 today.

“Some nations are using cross-border terrorism as an instrument of their policies and giving shelter to terrorists,” PM Modi said.

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Gold LIVE Updates

Gold futures gain Rs 108 to Rs 58,385/10 grams

In futures trade, gold prices rose by Rs 108 to Rs 58,385 per 10 grammes on Tuesday, as speculators opened new positions on robust spot demand.

Gold futures for August delivery traded higher by Rs 108, or 0.19 per cent, at Rs 58,385 per 10 grammes on the Multi Commodity Exchange, with 11,185 lots traded.

According to observers, the spike in gold prices was caused by new positions taken by players. In New York, gold was trading 0.26 per cent higher at $1,934.60 per ounce.

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

10 killed, more than 20 injured as truck rams into highway hotel in Dhule

According to authorities, at least ten people were killed and more than 20 were injured on Tuesday when a container truck struck four vehicles before ramming into a hotel on a highway in Maharashtra’s Dhule district.

A police officer said the accident happened about 10.45 a.m. in Palasner hamlet on the Mumbai-Agra route in Dhule, which is more than 300 kilometres from the state capital.

The truck’s brakes failed, causing the driver to lose control of the wheels. From the rear, it collided with two motorbikes, a vehicle, and another container.

According to him, the vehicle then drove into a motel at a bus stop on the highway and flipped.

The injured persons were rushed to hospitals in Shirpur and Dhule, the police said.

PM Modi LIVE Updates

‘Amrit Kaal has been named as Kartavya Kaal,’ says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday renamed ‘Amrit Kal to Kartavya Kaal,’ and stated that the next 25 years of India’s Independence is going to be “Kartvya Kaal” as the country is giving top priority to its “kartavya” (duties).

“India is giving top priority to its Kartavya. The next 25 years of Independence are going to be our Kartavya Kaal. Moving forward towards the goal of 100 years of independence, we have named our ‘Amrit Kaal’ as ‘Kartavya Kaal’.

The Prime Minister was addressing a gathering through video conferencing after inaugurating the Sai Hira Global Convention Centre in Puttaparthi of Andhra Pradesh.

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SCO Summit LIVE Updates

‘We do not see SCO as a neighbourhood but as an extended family’: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) where he said that India does not consider the group as an extended neighbourhood but as an extended family.

“India has maintained age-long relations with SCO. We see this platform as an extended family and not just an external neighbourhood. Security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection are the pillars of our vision for SCO,” he said.

India is hosting the SCO Summit under its presidency this year. The meeting saw the attendance of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, among others.

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SCO Summit LIVE Updates

PM Modi addresses SCO summit

We do not see the SCO as an extended neighbourhood, but rather as an extended family, says PM Modi.

Security, economic development, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection are the pillars of our vision for SCO, he added.

At the virtual summit, PM Modi stated that SCO has emerged as key platform for peace, prosperity, development of Eurasia.

Bollywood LIVE Updates

Shah Rukh Khan rushed to hospital after accident on set, undergoes surgery

Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar, reportedly had an accident in the United States and damaged his nose. He has now undergone minor surgery as a result of that.

According to E-Times, the Pathaan actor was filming for one of his future films when he was involved in a small mishap on the set in Los Angeles.

However, the actor has returned to India and is healing.

“SRK was shooting in Los Angeles for a project and he ended up hurting his nose. He began bleeding and was immediately rushed to a hospital. His team was informed by the doctors that there was nothing to worry and that King Khan would need to undergo a minor surgery to stop the bleeding. Post the operation, SRK was spotted with a bandage on his nose," a source cited by the entertainment portal claimed.

However, it should also be noted that neither the actor nor his team has issued any statement regarding the accident as of now.

PM Modi LIVE Updates

India leading in spirituality, technology and economy, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that India is making progress in many areas, including technology and the economy, even as spiritual places are reviving throughout the country.

Modi stated in his virtual address at the inauguration of the Sai Hira Global Convention Centre at Prasanthi Nilayam in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, that India accounts for 40% of total real-time internet transactions.

He went on to say that India has the world’s third largest startup ecosystem and is competing with other countries in sectors such as digital technology and 5G technology.

On one hand spiritual centres are reviving in the country and simultaneously India is leading in economy and technology Today India is among the world’s top five economies. India has the world’s third largest startup ecosystem in the world, he said.

For thousands of years Indian saints have nourished the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’, Modi reminded.

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar to inaugurate new NCP party office in Mumbai

On Tuesday, state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will launch a new Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) party office near Mantralaya in Mumbai, only days after entering the BJP-Shiv Sena administration.

Ajit Pawar said that the whole NCP was behind him.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar group leader Praful Patel stated on Monday at a joint press conference that Lok Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare has been selected as the party’s new State President in Maharashtra.

Delhi LIVE Updates

Delhi govt to organise Kanwar camps across city

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said his administration is preparing camps around the city to give facilities for the ‘Kanwar Yatra’.

The Kanwar Yatra starts on Tuesday. It will conclude on August 15.

" Like every year, the Delhi government is organising Kanwar camps across Delhi for Kanwariyas where they will be provided all facilities," Kejriwal stated in a Hindi tweet.

Every year, a considerable number of Kanwariyas arrive in Delhi, and some of them travel to Haryana and Rajasthan via Delhi’s boundaries. According to a police advice, the figure is projected to reach between 15 and 20 lakh this year.

It was stated that worshippers carrying kanwars will take numerous paths.

Article 370 LIVE Updates

Article 370 thing of past, no going back: IAS officer Shah Faesal

Days before a planned hearing of a batch of cases pertaining to the repeal of Article 370 before the Supreme Court’s five-judge Constitution bench, IAS officer Shah Faesal stated on Tuesday that the constitutional provision is a thing of the past and there is no turning back.

“(Article) 370, for many Kashmiris like me, is a thing of the past. Jhelum and Ganga have merged in the great Indian Ocean for good. There is no going back. There is only marching forward,” Faesal wrote on Twitter.

A 2010-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Faesal was detained for more than a year after the provisions of Article 370 were abrogated and the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into Union territories in August 2019. He resigned from service and launched the Jammu Kashmir People’s Movement, a political entity, in January 2019.

Senthil Balaji LIVE Updates

Minister Senthil Balaji HCP: Madras HC bench pronounces split verdict

On Tuesday, a division bench of the Madras High Court issued a divided judgement on the habeas corpus plea filed by imprisoned Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji.

The verdict on the HCP filed by Balaji’s wife against her husband’s “illegal detention” was handed down by Justices J Nisha Banu and D Bharatha Chakravarthy.

While Justice Nisha Banu released Balaji, the other judge disagreed.

The bench then instructed the registrar to send the case to the Chief Justice, who would then refer it to another bench.

The ED detained Balaji on 14 June in connection with a cash-for-jobs scandal while he was the Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK administration.

Pincode LIVE Updates

Pincode, a shopping app developed by ONDC goes live in 10 cities across India

Pincode, a shopping app built on the ONDC platform, announced today that it is now available in 10 cities throughout India.

Mumbai, Delhi, Nodia, Gurugram, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Kolkata are among the cities.

Pincode will now allow consumers in these cities to buy groceries and order food from all of their favourite local businesses and restaurants.

India Canada LIVE Updates

India demarches Canada after Khalistanis announce protests, burning of Tricolour on 8 July

After pro-Khalistani supporters proclaimed their intention to demonstrate outside Indian embassies in Canadian cities on July 8, India issued a demarche.

The Indian government has requested that the Canadian government, led by Justin Trudeau, take strong measures to prevent protesters from congregating near missions and consulates, desecrating the Indian national flag, sticking pamphlets or items to the boundary fence, or throwing projectiles into Indian diplomatic premises in Canada.

On July 8, the US-based banned group SFJ, which has a key link in Canada, plans to demonstrate outside the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, as well as two consulates in Toronto and Vancouver.

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Maharashtra LIVE Updates

‘Congress’ demand to appoint leader of Opposition is valid’: NCP Chief Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar said on Monday that Congress’ demand to appoint one of its leaders as Oppostion’s head would be valid as it is the only party with maximum numbers of MLAs.

“The party which has the maximum number of MLAs can demand the LoP post. As per my information, Congress has the maximum number currently and if they ask for it then it’s a valid demand,” Pawar said.

Talking about the ideology of Ajit Pawar and the other eight leaders who left NCP for BJP, Sharad Pawar said, “Many from there (Ajit Pawar’s side) called me and said most of them are still with the original ideology/policies of the NCP and they will declare their stand at the right time.”

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Karnataka LIVE Updates

BJP to launch protests in Karnataka against Congress govt ‘failure’ to fulfill poll guarantees

In Karnataka, the opposition BJP will protest the alleged delay in implementing the five electoral promises made by the ruling Congress in the run-up to the assembly elections.

According to BJP sources, the agitation would take place both inside and outside the legislature from Tuesday till the session concludes on July 14, requesting proper execution of the assurances.

While the BJP legislative party will protest inside the legislature, former chief ministers B S Yediyurappa, Basavaraj Bommai, D V Sadananda Gowda, and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel will protest outside in Freedom Park.

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Maharashtra shake-up: Sibal accuses BJP of toppling Opposition govts

On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal accused the BJP of toppling Opposition administrations in states such as Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra in recent years, saying it was “over to the Supreme Court” to address the pattern.

The statements by Sibal, a prominent barrister, came after NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight others were admitted into the Maharashtra cabinet led by Eknath Shinde.

On Sunday, Ajit Pawar staged a shocking mutiny in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), causing a vertical split, and joined the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP coalition in Maharashtra to become deputy chief minister.

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Maha Congress convenes meeting, discussion on Opposition leader’s post likely

The Maharashtra Congress has called a meeting of its legislators for Tuesday, where the question of claiming the position of Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly may be discussed, according to a party leader.

The meeting will be attended by HK Patil, secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

After Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar resigned on Friday, the office of Leader of the Opposition (LoP) became vacant. On Sunday, he was sworn in as deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP cabinet, among eight other NCP MLAs.

Notably, Sharad Pawar’s NCP has selected MLA Jitendra Awhad as the LoP.

Sharad Pawar on Monday said the Congress, a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, was justified in claiming the post of LoP.

Karnataka LIVE Updates

Holiday declared in schools in Mangaluru due to excessive rain

Due to excessive rain in the region, a holiday has been announced by the district authority in all schools and colleges in Mangaluru, Mulki, Ullal, Moodbidri and Bantwal, said Dakshina Kannada DC Mulai Mugilan.

Mumbai LIVE Updates

Yet to ascertain whether NCP is in government or Opposition: Maha Assembly Speaker

Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rahul Narwekar has stated that he is unsure whether the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is a member of the Shiv Sena-BJP administration or is still in opposition.

Senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar led a vertical split in the party on Sunday to become deputy chief minister in the Shiv Sena-BJP administration, startling his uncle Sharad Pawar, who formed the organisation 24 years ago after leaving the Congress.

Ajit Pawar was joined in the Shinde government by eight other NCP MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif.

Narwekar told reporters on Monday that his office had not yet received any petition referencing a party split.

“I am yet to ascertain whether the NCP is a part of the state government or is still in the Opposition bloc. I will go through the details available before me and take a call on it," he said.

LPG Gas Cylinders LIVE Updates

Delhi: Commercial LPG gas cylinders price increased

Commercial LPG gas cylinder rates have been raised by Rs 7 per cylinder by oil marketing firms. The retail price of a 19kg commercial LPG cylinder in Delhi has risen from Rs 1,773 to Rs 1,780 per cylinder. Domestic LPG cylinder pricing remain unchanged.

UCC LIVE Updates

Wrong to discuss UCC now as its structure is not yet known: Jayant Chaudhary

Jayant Chaudhary, head of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), stated on Monday that any discussion of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) currently is “wrong” since its “structure” is unknown, but that men and women should have equal rights.

The Samajwadi Party, the RLD’s alliance partner, has criticised the government over UCC.

“As of now, I do not know its ‘swaroop’ (structure). Discussing it now is wrong. In modern India, everyone should be given equal rights. Men and women should get equal rights. How the government does this job, this has to be seen,” the RLD chief told reporters here when asked to comment on UCC.

Chaudhary has made his remarks on UCC for the first time, said RLD’s UP unit chief Ramashis Rai.

A fresh debate on UCC has been ignited after the Law Commission initiated a public consultation process on June 14 by inviting views from all stakeholders, including people and recognised religious organisations, on the politically sensitive issue.

US Indian Consulate LIVE Updates

US condemns vandalism, attempted arson against Indian Consulate in San Francisco

The United States has strongly denounced vandalism and attempted arson of the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, calling the acts a “criminal offence.”

A video shared on Twitter by Khalistan supporters on 2 July 2023 depicted arson at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.

The movie, which bore the phrase “violence begets violence,” also included news clippings on the murder of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was located in Canada.

Nijjar, one of India’s most wanted terrorists with a monetary reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was shot dead last month outside a gurdwara in Canada.

SCO Summit LIVE Updates

India to host SCO summit: Who is attending, what to expect?

On Tuesday, India will host a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, is a powerful economic and security bloc that has evolved as one of the world’s largest transregional international institutions.

The SCO was established in 2001 during a summit in Shanghai by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

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G20 Summit LIVE Updates

Mumbai to host G20 RIIG Summit, Research Ministers’ Meeting from July 4-5

From July 4 to 5, Mumbai will host the G20 Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Summit and Research Ministers’ Meeting.

According to a release from the Ministry of Science and Technology, the G20 Research Ministers’ Meeting (RMM) on Wednesday will be hosted by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh.

The summit is expected to draw 107 foreign attendees, including Research Ministers from 29 G20 members, invited guest nations, and international organisations.

The RIIG Summit will be held on Tuesday in Mumbai and will be presided over by Dr Srivari Chandrasekhar, Secretary of Science and Technology (DST).

The G20 science engagements Ministerial Declaration will be considered and endorsed during the two-day RIIG Summit and Research Ministers’ meeting.

SCO Summit LIVE Updates

India to virtually host SCO summit today

Today, India will virtually host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will both attend the conference.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the meeting of the SCO Heads of State. Terrorism, regional security, and prosperity are among the primary themes scheduled to be on the agenda.

The term created by Prime Minister Modi during the 2018 SCO Qingdao Summit inspired the theme of India’s chairship of SCO-SECURE.

S represents for security, E stands for economic growth, C stands for connectivity, U stands for unity, R stands for respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and E stands for environmental preservation.