Narendra Modi says cross-border projects should "connect markets" and recognize sovereignty

Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told member states he supports cross-border projects that increase market access and create economic opportunities, but said such efforts must recognize the sovereignty and inviolable borders of nations, a principle he tied to the SCO’s founding charter. The appeal accompanied his warning that the West Asia crisis shows conflicts no longer stay contained, harming global energy, shipping, and supply chains and hitting the Global South hardest. He also called terrorism a serious common threat, urging members to counter networks that finance militants, draw in new followers, and offer refuge, avoid inconsistent positions, and make clear that governments cannot use terrorism as a useful tool. Modi framed India’s agenda around security, connectivity, and opportunity, and urged cooperation led by ordinary people rather than only governments.