At SCO, India refuses to back Belt and Road

By Gaurav Sharma

Beijing, June 10 (IANS) India refused to back China's Belt and Road project at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit which ended in the Chinese city of Qingdao on Sunday.

The name of all member countries except India figured in the paragraph of the joint declaration endorsing Beijing's multi-billion dollar project.

India on earlier occasions too has not shown support for the project, the key artery of which goes through the disputed part of Kashmir claimed by New Delhi and held by Pakistan.

"The Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan reaffirm their support for the 'Belt and Road Initiative' proposed by China and affirm that all parties should implement the 'Belt and Road Initiative' to promote the 'Belt and Road' initiative," the declaration said.

Earlier in the day, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said New Delhi supported connectivity but not at the cost of sovereignty and territorial integrity.