Barring India, all other member nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Monday reaffirmed their support to China's so-called "One Belt and One Road" (OBOR) project during a virtual meeting of the influential grouping.
India has been severely critical of the project as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is part of the OBOR, passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
A joint communique, issued at the end of the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the SCO, said Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan reaffirming their support for the OBOR initiative.
The virtual summit was hosted by India and it was chaired by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu.
Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Vikas Swarup said the SCO member states of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting at the level of prime ministers. He said Pakistan was represented by its parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs.
"The Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, reaffirming their support for China''s ''One Belt, One Road'' (OBOR) Initiative," the communique said.
India has been maintaining that it cannot accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The SCO is an eight-nation bloc which is being increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO. India and Pakistan became permanent members of the SCO in 2017.
The joint communique also said the initiative of Russia to create a greater Eurasian partnership with the participation of the countries of the SCO, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as other interested states and multilateral associations was noted.
It said the Heads of delegations emphasised the relevance of promoting and expanding cooperation between the SCO member states in the field of infrastructural connectivity and the creation of a modern transport infrastructure.
S Jaishankar Raises Safety Of Indians In Meeting With Russia's Sergey Lavrov India Presses For "Zero-Tolerance Approach Towards Terrorism" At SCO Meet S Jaishankar Calls For Stability And Cooperation In SCO, Alludes To China's Actions Travel Influencer Aanvi Kamdar Dies After Falling Off A Waterfall Near Mumbai Amid Huge Row, Karnataka Pauses Bill For Reservation In Private Sector Firms BJP Subtly Asking Ajit Pawar To Quit "Mahayuti": Sharad Pawar's NCP Biden Says Could Drop Election Bid If "Medical Condition" Emerged Russia Says It's Ready To Work With Any US Leader 3 People Die After Drowning In Lake In Telangana: Cops Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.