Dushanbe, Oct 19 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday met Tajik counterpart Colonel General Emomali Sobirzoda on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government Meeting and discussed defence cooperation with emphasis on capacity building and training.

“Had a productive discussion with the Defence Minister of Tajikistan in Dushanbe on the sidelines of the SCO Heads of Government Meeting. We exchanged views on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest, with emphasis on capacity building and training,” Minister Singh stated on X.

Singh arrived in Dushanbe earlier on a two-day official visit to represent India at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the SCO, scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the meeting will focus on strengthening multilateral cooperation among SCO Member States, particularly in the areas of trade, economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges. The meeting is also expected to review the progress of ongoing cooperation initiatives and consider decisions relating to the Organisation's financial and institutional functioning.

"Leaving New Delhi for Dushanbe. Looking forward to representing India at the SCO Heads of Government (HoG) meeting in Tajikistan on 19-20 October 2026. The SCO HoGs meeting will focus on strengthening cooperation in culture, connectivity, economy, innovation, investment and people-to-people ties, besides reviewing progress in financial and institutional functioning," Defence Minister Singh posted on X before leaving New Delhi on Monday.

According to the MEA, India remains actively engaged in various SCO mechanisms and continues to contribute to regional cooperation through initiatives in areas such as startups and innovation, digital public infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges.

"The meeting will provide an opportunity for India to exchange views with other SCO Member States on advancing practical and mutually beneficial cooperation within the Organisation. The previous CHG meeting was held in Moscow, Russia, on 18 November 2025, where India was represented by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar," the MEA stated.

--IANS

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