Following is the text of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s departure statement prior to his visit to Kazakhstan.
“I will travel to Astana, Kazakhstan for two days on 8-9 June for the Summit meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
At this meeting, on completion of the process, India will become a full Member of the SCO upon which SCO will represent over 40% of humanity and nearly 20% of global GDP.
We launched the process of full membership in Tashkent meeting of the SCO last year. I look forward to deepening India’s association with the SCO which will help us in economic, connectivity and counter-terrorism cooperation, among other things.
We have long-standing relations with SCO members and look forward to progressing them further through the SCO for mutual betterment and growth of our countries and our people.
Together, we will harvest new opportunities for beneficial engagement and redouble efforts to address common challenges that may come in the way of realizing our full potential.
On evening of June 9, I will also attend the inauguration of the Astana Expo with the theme of “Future energy”.”
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AKT/NT
