Archive · 18 Sep 2026
SCO Ministers Adopt 2026-30 Plan as India Pushes Trade
Trade ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization met in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
They agreed on a plan for working together on trade from 2026 to 2030.
India said member countries should trade more with one another.
India also said easier customs rules and online paperwork could make trade faster and cheaper.
Better roads, railways and other connections could help goods move more quickly.
The countries discussed making supplies more reliable for important products such as medicines, electronics and minerals.
They also discussed energy, renewable power and green hydrogen.
The ministers approved rules for a group focused on the creative economy.
The plan still needs approval from the SCO council of prime ministers.
SCO trade ministers adopted a 2026-30 action plan for multilateral trade and economic cooperation.
India called for increased intra-SCO trade, lower trade costs and more resilient supply chains.
India urged simplified customs, paperless trade, electronic documents and stronger multimodal connectivity.
Cooperation was proposed in agriculture, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, electronics and clean energy.
The ministers approved creative-economy working-group regulations, with the next meeting scheduled in Uzbekistan in 2027.
- Who
- Trade ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states, with India represented by Yashvir Singh.
- What
- The ministers adopted a 2026-30 action plan for multilateral trade and economic cooperation and considered measures to increase intra-SCO trade.
- When
- September 17, 2026.
- Where
- Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
- Why
- To lower trade costs, improve connectivity, strengthen supply-chain resilience and expand economic cooperation among SCO members.
- Meeting
- 25th Meeting of SCO Ministers Responsible for Foreign Economic and Foreign Trade Activities
- Action plan
- 2026-30 plan for implementing the SCO programme of multilateral trade and economic cooperation
- India’s priorities
- Higher intra-SCO trade, lower costs, stronger connectivity and resilient supply chains
- Trade facilitation
- Simplified customs, paperless trade and electronic exchange of documents
- Priority sectors
- Agriculture, critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and electronics
- Additional cooperation
- Energy security, renewable energy, green hydrogen and participation in global value chains
- Next meeting
- Uzbekistan in 2027
