On May 22, 2026, during his official visit to India, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Nurlan Yermekbayev spoke at an event organized by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi.
The meeting was attended by Jyoti Vij, Director General of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Onkar Kanwar, Chairman National part of the SCO Business Council from the Republic of India; as well as representatives of the business community, expert and academic circles of India.
In his address the Secretary-General emphasized that the SCO remains committed to steady development across all areas of its activities. Over the 25 years since the Organisation's founding a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework has been established within the SCO and mechanisms have been created covering nearly all sectors of the modern economy. The implementation of the decisions of the Council of Heads of State Summit held in Tianjin in 2025, including the SCO Development Strategy until 2035, was named a key practical guideline.
Nurlan Yermekbayev highly appreciated the dynamics of the Indian economy, noting record growth in a number of its indicators, India's leadership in digitalization, fintech, and IT, as well as its experience in developing small and medium-sized businesses, agriculture, and industry. It was noted that Indian enterprises and industry associations could make a significant contribution to building sustainable production and supply chains, developing industrial parks, and fostering trade and industrial clusters across the SCO space.
During a lively discussion with the meeting participants, the Secretary-General answered questions from the audience regarding the Organisation's ongoing work in several areas of practical cooperation, including the creation of its own financial instruments, improving transport and logistics connectivity, and diversifying formats of energy cooperation. A number of proposals were put forward concerning comprehensive support for project activities, the exchange of best practices in various fields, and the expansion of youth and academic networks.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is one of India's key business associations and the oldest organization representing the interests of Indian business and industry. Founded in 1927, FICCI continues to serve as a national platform for interaction between business, government, industry associations, and international partners. Through direct or indirect membership, the organization covers more than 250,000 companies.