China calls Moscow alliance 'stability anchor'
BEIJING: China says the Russia-friendly states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) must be an 'anchor of stability' in times of international unrest.
Defence Minister Dong Jun made the comments at a meeting with his counterparts from the SCO countries in the coastal city of Qingdao in eastern China. The People's Republic is prepared to resolutely defend international justice together with these states, he said. The meeting in Qingdao took place almost simultaneously with the Nato summit in the Dutch city of The Hague. At the summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday the Nato countries committed themselves to investing 5 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP) in defence and security every year from 2035 at the latest - more than at any time since the Cold War. China's Foreign Ministry sharply criticised the decision. Nato is increasing international tensions and slandering China's military build-up as a pretext to expand its borders and advance eastward and into the Pacific region, spokesman Guo Jiakun said in Beijing. If Nato cares about security in Europe and the world, it should stop fuelling confrontation, he added. Russia, China and Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan initially founded the SCO in 2001 to combat terrorism and promote economic cooperation. It now comprises 10 countries,including Iran, India, Pakistan and Belarus. Meanwhile, the defence ministers meeting were unable to adopt a joint statement at the end of their talks due to a lack of consensus on referring to "terrorism", the Indian foreign ministry said on Thursday. SCO is a 10-nation Eurasian security and political grouping whose members include China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran. Their defence ministers' meeting was held as a precursor to the annual summit of its leaders set for the autumn. "Certain members, member countries, could not reach consensus on certain issues and hence the document could not be finalised on our side," Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at a weekly media briefing. — Agencies
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
Indian Army, Russian Land Forces bolster defence ties at IRIGC meet in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg: Indian Army strengthens ties with Russian Land Forces at the 4th Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission (IRIGC) Sub Working Group (Land) meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia from June 25 to 27. The interaction between the Two Armies focused on enhancing bilateral Defence Cooperation, including exchanges in niche technologies such as Drones, C-UAS, Electronic Warfare, and operational logistics equipment. The event also included a visit to Mikhailovskaya Artillery Academy and the 56th Guards District Training Centre, Leningradsky Military District, the Indian Army said. Strengthening the bilateral defence engagement further, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting in Qingdao, China. The meeting came shortly after Singh arrived at the venue on Thursday, where he was received by Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun. Upon his arrival, Singh joined Admiral Dong and other participating leaders for a group photograph ahead of the official proceedings. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif arrived at the venue after Singh. The SCO Defence Ministers' meeting, being held from June 25 to 26, brings together member states to discuss key regional and global security issues. The discussions are expected to focus on international and regional peace and security, counter-terrorism cooperation, and enhanced collaboration among the defence ministries of SCO member states. In a press release, the Ministry of Defence stated, "Defence Ministry is expected to highlight India's continued commitment to the principles and mandate of the SCO, outline India's vision towards achieving greater international peace & security, call for joint & consistent efforts to eliminate terrorism & extremism in the region, and stress on the need for greater trade, economic cooperation and connectivity within SCO. He will also hold bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of some participating countries, including China and Russia, on the sidelines of the meeting." India, the Ministry noted, places special importance on the SCO as a platform for promoting multilateralism and cooperation across politics, security, economy, and people-to-people ties in the region. "SCO pursues its policy based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity of nations, non-interference in internal affairs, mutual respect, understanding and equality of all member states," the Ministry added. The SCO is an intergovernmental organisation established in 2001. India became a full member in 2017 and held the rotating chairmanship in 2023. Member countries include India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus. China has assumed the Chair of the SCO for 2025 under the theme "Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move."
Times of Oman
6 hours ago
- Times of Oman
TV BRICS unveils strategy to boost Russian agricultural exports in BRICS+ nations
Moscow: The TV BRICS International Media Network has partnered with Russia's Federal Centre for Agricultural Export Development (Agroexport) to promote Russian agro-industrial products across BRICS+ countries. The agreement was formalised at the 28th St Petersburg International Economic Forum, with TV BRICS Chairman Ivan Polyakov and Agroexport Director Ilya Ilyushin signing the deal, TV BRICS reported. The collaboration aims to enhance the global image of Russia's agricultural sector by highlighting leading national producers, promoting Russian goods in overseas markets, and encouraging export-oriented growth among agro-processing enterprises, as reported by TV BRICS. "Media play an important role in supporting Russia's agro-industrial complex, helping to promote products in foreign markets and form a positive image of the industry. Today we face a crucial task - to develop a global dialogue among friendly nations. I am confident that cooperation with TV BRICS will enable us to promptly deliver all necessary information about the development of trade relations among BRICS countries to a multibillion audience," said Ilyushin, as per TV BRICS report. Polyakov underlined the strategic importance of food security and sustainable agriculture, aligning the initiative with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. He noted that the topic remains a key priority in TV BRICS' media agenda. Previously, TV BRICS collaborated with Brazil's Agro+ TV on Agroparallels, a documentary series exploring Russia-Brazil cooperation in the agricultural sector. Building on that success, Polyakov announced a new project titled BRICS GRAIN, set to premiere in 2025, which will focus on agricultural diplomacy and deepening partnerships with the Global South and East. Agroexport, a key agency under the Russian Ministry of Agriculture, supports exporters through in-depth market analysis, barrier assessments, international promotion, and buyer engagement. The centre plays a pivotal role in Russia's strategy to expand its agricultural footprint globally.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
India looking at option of buying more S-400 air defence systems from Russia
New Delhi: With the S-400 air defence missile systems performing very well during Operation Sindoor, India is considering the option of buying two more squadrons of S-400 long range surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, defence sources told ANI. The sources said more systems of the S-400 are being considered due to security threats in view of the recent hostilities and the time to be taken in the development and deployment of the indigenous LRSAM programme, codenamed Project Kusha by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, with Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited as its development and production partners. The Indian side would prefer to get S-500 air defence system which has more range than the S-400 but it would require a clearance from the top Russian leadership for its sale, they said. The S-400 performed exceptionally in Operation Sindoor taking out multiple Pakistan Air Force fighter and airborne early warning aircraft. It also managed to create a record of sorts by successfully hitting an aircraft at a range of 300 plus kilometres. India is also awaiting the delivery of two more squadrons of the five S-400 squadrons that it had ordered in a 2018 deal. The first three squadrons have already been received and operationally deployed. Just before the delivery of the fourth squadron, war broke out between Russia and Ukraine. The systems meant for India were probably used in the war. The Russian side has now assured the delivery of the remaining two systems in the next financial year. Indian defence teams have also raised the issue with the Russian side and they have given assurances to not extend the schedule further.
