India hosts first Shanghai Cooperation Organization conference

India: The first-ever SCO Conference on Shared Buddhist Heritage is set to open tomorrow, with more than 20 SCO delegates expected to attend in person and many more in an online format. The event, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, will run from 14-15 March at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. This event is a follow-up to the announcement made by PM Modi on strengthening cooperation in this domain at the previous SCO Summits.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), founded over 20 years ago, comprises eight member countries, including Russia, India, China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The SCO is a crucial regional organisation that aims to promote economic, political, and military cooperation among its members. The organisation covers over 60% of the Eurasian landmass, 40% of the world population, and 30% of the global GDP.