New Delhi, Oct 18 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 19-20, with discussions expected to focus on strengthening regional cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity, innovation and economic development.
The SCO, a Eurasian regional organisation, provides a platform for member states to discuss economic cooperation, regional security and political and cultural exchanges. Its Council of Heads of Government is a key mechanism for deliberations on multilateral economic cooperation and the organisation's budget and institutional matters.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting will provide an opportunity for SCO member states to review ongoing cooperation initiatives and discuss measures to deepen collaboration across economic and other priority sectors. The agenda will also include cultural and humanitarian exchanges, along with decisions concerning the organisation's financial and institutional functioning.
India remains actively engaged in SCO mechanisms and has been contributing to regional initiatives in areas such as start-ups, innovation, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges, the government said.
Singh's participation will provide India an opportunity to exchange views with other member states on advancing practical and mutually beneficial cooperation through the regional grouping.
The 24th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government was held in Moscow, Russia, on November 18, 2025, where India was represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The meeting brought together senior representatives of SCO member states to discuss economic cooperation and the organisation's functioning.
Among the key issues raised, India called for zero tolerance for terrorism. Jaishankar stressed that terrorism, separatism and extremism remained fundamental threats to the region. He asserted that India had the right to defend its people against terrorism and would exercise it.