India stresses trade facilitation, supply chains at 25th SCO meeting

The 25th Meeting of Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Member States Responsible for Foreign Economic and Trade Activities was held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Thursday, with India highlighting Security, Connectivity and Opportunity as key pillars for strengthening trade and economic cooperation.Representing India, Yashvir Singh, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, highlighted the SCO’s economic potential and called for increased intra-SCO trade, lower trade costs, resilient supply chains and improved connectivity.
India Pushes Trade Facilitation and Supply Chain Resilience
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision at the SCO Summit in Bishkek, India stressed the economic importance of the three pillars of Security, Connectivity and Opportunity.India called for simplified customs procedures, paperless trade, electronic exchange of trade documents and stronger multimodal connectivity to reduce transit times and trade costs.It also urged SCO members to diversify supply chains in key sectors such as agriculture, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and electronics. Cooperation in energy security, renewable energy and green hydrogen was also highlighted.India emphasised greater access to digital and cross-border payments and trade finance for MSMEs and start-ups, while calling for increased participation of SCO economies in global value chains and reaffirming support for a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core.

The 25th SCO Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Foreign Economic & Foreign Trade Activities was held today in Dushanbe under the chairship of Tajikistan.

Shri Yashvir Singh, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, represented India.

Key outcomes:

• Statement on… pic.twitter.com/MooyRbImhl

— Dept of Commerce, GoI (@DoC_GoI) September 17, 2026

The ministers adopted a joint statement and agreed on the Action Plan for 2026–2030 for implementing the SCO’s Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation, subject to further approval by the Council of Heads of Government.They also approved regulations for a Special Working Group on the development of the creative economy and took note of updates from the SCO Business Council and the SCO Consortium of Economic Analytical Centres.The next SCO Ministerial Meeting on foreign economic and trade activities will be held in 2027 in Uzbekistan.