PM Modi calls for transit access among SCO nations

Samarkand: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called upon SCO member states to give transit access to each other and pitched for boosting connectivity for ensuring resilient supply chains for the region.

In his address at the SCO summit in this historic city, Modi also said that India's economy is expected to grow at 7.5 per cent this year, which will be the highest among the world's major economies.

Modi said there is a need for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to develop reliable, resilient and diversified supply chains in the region in the backdrop of disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis.

Modi's call for providing transit access comes amid Pakistan's reluctance to give India such facilities for sending goods to war-torn Afghanistan.

He said that India supports mutual trust and cooperation among SCO countries.

"The pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing unprecedented energy and food crises," he said.

"The SCO should strive to develop reliable, resilient and diversified supply chains in our region. For this, better connectivity will be required, as well as it will also be important that we all give full rights of transit to each other," he said.

The Prime Minister said that the government is making progress in making India a manufacturing hub.

"There is a lot of focus on proper use of technology in our people-centric development model," he said.