India’s Foreign Minister appreciates Russia’s support for SCO presidency
![](https://www.indianpolitics.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/images-5-3.jpeg)
The SCO Council of Foreign Ministers is convening a meeting in Panaji, the capital of Goa in southern India on May 4-5
Indian Foreign Minister Shri Subrahmanyam Jaishankar praised the support Russia has given for his country’s presidency in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
“[I] appreciated Russia’s support for India’s SCO presidency. [We] also discussed issues pertaining to G20 and BRICS,” India’s top diplomat tweeted on Thursday, following his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Jaishankar also said he conducted a “comprehensive review of our bilateral, global and multilateral cooperation with” his Russian counterpart.
The two foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting.
The SCO Council of Foreign Ministers is convening a meeting in Panaji, the capital of Goa in southern India on May 4-5. Lavrov is representing Russia at the event.
Shri Jaishankar also held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Qin Gang, on Thursday. The discussions focussed on resolving outstanding issues and ensuring “peace and tranquility” in the border areas.
The two foreign ministers held detailed discussions, on the side-lines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) FM meet, revolving around SCO, G20 and BRICS, said EAM Jaishankar.
After concluding bilateral talks with both his Russian and Chinese counterparts, Jaishankar tweeted, “A detailed discussion with State Councillor and FM Qin Gang of China on our bilateral relationship. Focus remains on resolving outstanding issues and ensuring peace and tranquility in the border area. Also discussed SCO, G20 and BRICS.”
Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Minister arrived at Goa airport to attend the two-day-long meeting of foreign ministers of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which began in the coastal State.
This is the second time that the Chinese Foreign Minister is in India this year. He was in New Delhi in March for the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting.
On its Foreign Minister’s visit to India, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign ministry said on Tuesday (this week) that at the meeting Qin Gang will exchange views with other SCO member states’ foreign ministers on the international and regional situation.
The Chinese spokesperson said, “At the meeting, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang will exchange views with other SCO member states’ foreign ministers on the international and regional situation and SCO cooperation in various fields, among other topics, to make full preparation for this year’s SCO summit.”
The bilateral ties between India and China remained strained in the wake of the Galwan Valley clash.
The two countries held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks for disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, following the standoff with Chinese troops in May 2020.