PM MODI LIKELY TO TALK TOUGH ON TERROR AT SCO SUMMIT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to talk tough on terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit being hosted by India in virtual mode on 4 July.

- T BRAJESH

Significantly, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be attending the virtual summit. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to be in attendance. Sources told The Daily Guardian that PM Modi is expected to underscore the aim of the SCO to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism. "Though the virtual summit has its certain constraints and limitations for the participants to communicate their views, PM Modi will use the opportunity to ventilate his strong views against terrorism. He may hit out hard at the countries which sponsor, aid and support terrorism," sources said. "The SCO summit will deliberate on regional security challenges under which the issue of terrorism will figure prominently," sources explained.

"All eyes will, at the same time, be on whether Sharif tries to refer to Kashmir during his speech during the SCO summit. However, there is hardly any chance for the Pakistani leader to do so due to the virtual mode of the meeting," officials said.