SCO Heads of Government Adopt Joint Communiqué and 2026–2030 Trade Cooperation Action Plan in Dushanbe; India to Host First Civilisational Dialogue Forum
Dushanbe — The Heads of Delegation adopted the Joint Communiqué of the 25th Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government, including the SCO budget for 2027, relevant financial and administrative decisions, and the Action Plan for 2026–2030 for the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation (PMTEC), according to an official statement released by India's Press Information Bureau. The Council of Heads of Government is an important SCO mechanism responsible for promoting economic and other areas of practical cooperation among member states. India has been a full member of the SCO since 2017.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, representing India at the meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, announced on Tuesday that India will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum by the end of this year and invited all member countries to participate. "India, at the end of this year, will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum. We invite all SCO member countries to participate in it," Singh said. The forum was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the SCO summit in Tianjin in 2025 to strengthen people-to-people ties and allow sharing of the richness of ancient civilisations, art, literature, and traditions on a global stage. Singh also mentioned the 25-year journey of the SCO and reiterated Modi's vision of security, connectivity, and opportunity as three mutually reinforcing pillars.
On connectivity and terrorism, Singh said, according to India's Ministry of Defence press release: "Connectivity must be based on consultation and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries," adding that projects not founded on these principles would not be sustainable. He cited the International North-South Transport Corridor and Chabahar Port as initiatives that could
contribute significantly to connecting Central Asia with broader markets. On terrorism, he said: "Terrorism results in the loss of innocent lives and disrupts investment & commerce. It radicalises societies and deprives youth of the opportunities they rightfully deserve. There can be no justification for terrorism, no double standards in addressing it, and no place for those who finance, support, or provide safe havens to terrorists." Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar was also present at the meeting.
Singh also underlined that India's global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure contribute to affordable clean energy and climate- resilient development. He added that Mission LiFE promotes sustainable lifestyles and responsible consumption, while the Global Biofuel Alliance fosters cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions.
On the sidelines of the SCO gathering, Singh met Tajikistan Prime Minister Qohir Rosulzoda and underlined the longstanding civilisational ties and deep people-to-people links between India and Tajikistan. He also met Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref on the sidelines of the meeting.
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Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 杜尚别国家宫（Palace of Nations）资料图，为本次会议举办城市地标。照片：RyansWorld 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0，经维基共享资源。 / File photo: the Palace of Nations in Dushanbe, the host city of the meeting. Photo by RyansWorld, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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