Maharashtra LIVE Updates: NCP crisis deepens as rival groups hold parallel meetings in Mumbai in show of strength

14:59 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

NCP crisis deepens as rival groups hold parallel meetings in Mumbai in show of strength

On Wednesday, the crisis in the Nationalist Congress Party erupted, with the two groups having simultaneous meetings in a show of power.

The NCP is having a gathering of party members at Mumbai's YB Chavan Auditorium, while Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is at a meeting of NCP MPs, MLAs, MLCs, district heads and state delegates at Mumbai Education Trust (MET) Bandra.

14:56 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Pawar vs Pawar: Why all eyes have turned to Maharashtra Speaker Rahul Narwekar

It's a struggle between Pawar and Pawar, and today (5 July) is a critical day. Both factions, Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar, have asked for a meeting with their MLAs today as a show of strength. This will be especially intriguing to watch because it is still unclear whether group has the backing of the MLAs.

The two sides have scheduled meetings in different sections of Mumbai: Sharad Pawar's camp will gather at Nariman Point at 1 p.m., while freshly sworn-in Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will conduct a separate meeting in Bandra, Mumbai's suburbs.

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14:40 (IST)

Delhi LIVE Updates

Shots fired in Tis Hazari Court complex after argument between lawyers

Police claimed bullets were shot at the Tis Hazari court premises here on Wednesday, and that two groups of lawyers were reportedly involved in the incident. According to them, no one was hurt in the event.

 "A firing incident took place around 1.35 pm on Wednesday in Tis Hazari court. When police reached the spot, it was learned that two different groups of lawyers, including office bearers, had allegedly shot in the air and no one was injured," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi.

The situation is normal, and legal action is being taken, according to police.

14:37 (IST)

Manipur LIVE Updates

Why Mizoram is so concerned by the violence in Manipur

Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga has made an emotional appeal, calling for an end to the violence in neighbouring Manipur. “The onset of May witnessed a brutal, untoward and uncalled-for incident in Manipur. At this very moment, 3:30 am, July the 4th, 2023; nothing seems to have changed. We are counting, and today is the 62nd day,” the chief minister said in a long post on Twitter, accompanied by a poster of himself that says: “When will it stop?”

Calling the Kuki-Zomis “my Manipuri Zo ethnic brethren”, Zoramthanga said he does not want to see any more pictures and videos of “churches being burnt, brutal killings and violence of all nature”.

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14:07 (IST)

India Monsoon LIVE Updates

IMD issues red alert in Kerala

The IMD has issued a red alert in the Idukki area for today. Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod districts are on orange alert. Yellow warning in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam.

Orange alert in the districts of Idukki, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod for tomorrow. Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Palakkad districts are on yellow alert.

13:54 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Uddhav Thackeray faction to also hold the meeting at Matoshree

Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has also summoned a gathering for Wednesday at his Matoshree mansion in Mumbai. Several representatives of his faction gathered at his home amid the political turmoil in Maharashtra. The Uddhav Thackeray group is allied with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP and the Congress party.

#WATCH | Uddhav Thackeray faction leaders arrive at Matoshree to attend the meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/EkH76YSpVa— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023

13:50 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

NCP chief Sharad Pawar arrives at YB Chavan

Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, has arrived at YB Chavan in Mumbai. Several NCP and other party leaders demonstrate their power today at YB Chavan in Mumbai.

#WATCH | NCP chief Sharad Pawar arrives at YB Chavan in Mumbai.

Sharad Pawar's NCP and other party leaders display a show of strength as they gather at YB Chavan in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/ShyB63197W— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023

13:47 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Exact number of leaders can only be seen on stage, says Chhagan Bhujbal

"We will see the number of leaders sitting in on the stage and at other places. Supporters are signing papers and they are asked from where they have come. The exact number of leaders can only be seen on the stage", said Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP leader (Ajit Pawar faction) on Wednesday.

13:43 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar unfurls party flag ahead of meeting; "We have everyone with us," says Praful Patel

Leader of Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction, Praful Patel, on Wednesday, claimed the support of the "bulk" of the party's legislators stating there was "no need to worry."

Arriving to attend a party meeting called by Maharashtra Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in Bandra, Patel told reporters, "We have everyone with us. There is no need to worry."

13:32 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Ajit Pawar ahead in numbers game; 35 of 53 NCP MLAs attend his meeting

According to party sources, 35 of the 53 NCP MLAs attended the party meeting called by Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on Wednesday.

According to the reports, the number will rise much more. According to them, five of the eight NCP MLCs are also attending the conference in suburban Bandra.

According to Anant Kalse, former principal secretary of the Maharashtra Legislature, Ajit Pawar's team requires the backing of at least 36 MLAs to escape disqualification.

NCP chairman Sharad Pawar's followers flocked to his south Mumbai home on Wednesday, just hours before show of strength events called by him and Ajit Pawar, who split ways to become deputy chief minister.

The Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party are holding their meetings in Yashwantrao Chavan Centre in south Mumbai and in Bhujbal Knowledge City in suburban Bandra, respectively.

Outside Silver Oak, the senior Pawar's residence in south Mumbai, a party worker was seen carrying a banner which read: '83-year-old warrior waging a fight alone'.

13:29 (IST)

Telangana BJP LIVE Updates

Reddy skips Union Cabinet meet after appointment as Telangana BJP president

Union minister G Kishan Reddy boycotted the Cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, a day after being appointed as Telangana BJP president.

Though no formal reason was given for his absence, some leaders feel it may be a hint of his impending departure from the Union Cabinet ahead of the upcoming reshuffle.

Reddy, the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Development of the North Eastern Region, was named president of the BJP's Telangana branch on Tuesday.

The BJP likewise follows the one-person, one-post rule.

A source close to Reddy refused to comment on whether he will leave the Cabinet.

He has been a dedicated party worker for decades and will discharge whatever responsibility its leadership assigns to him, the source said.

13:22 (IST)

Uniform Civil Code LIVE Updates

Opposition UDF dares CPI(M) to renounce EMS stand on UCC

The Congress-led UDF opposition in Kerala continued its attack on the ruling CPI(M) on Wednesday, accusing it of having "double standards" in the matter and daring the Left party to abandon its former leader EMS Namboodiripad's support for a common personal law for all citizens.

V D Satheesan, the state assembly's Leader of Opposition (LoP), stated that Namboodiripad, Kerala's first Chief Minister, had urged for the implementation of the UCC in 1957.

Satheesan pushed the CPI(M) to acknowledge that their former leader's position was incorrect.

He alleged that the double standards of the Left party were evident from the facts that it was not willing to renounce what Namboodiripad said, it was not withdrawing the cases lodged against participants in the anti-CAA protests and it was reaching out to select Muslim organisations on the UCC issue.

13:02 (IST)

Uniform Civil Code LIVE Updates

Don't open Pandora's box: ex-law minister Moily to PM Modi, Law Commission on UCC

In the midst of the boiling discussion over the Uniform Civil Code, senior Congress politician and former law minister M Veerappa Moily asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Law Commission, and other political leaders on Wednesday not to open "Pandora's box" on personal rules and "create chaos" in society.

He further said that it was an issue designed to divide society, undermine the country, and destroy the variety cherished by Indians.

Moily stated in a statement that Article 25 guarantees the right to religious freedom.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently given a public thrust to Uniform Civil Code (UCC). Even though the Constitution of India makes a mention of the UCC, the founding fathers of the Constitution in the Constituent Assembly had chosen not to make it mandatory, as it involves the diversity of Indian society," said Moily, who was the law minister in the UPA-II government from May 2009 to May 2011.

Uniformity or commonality of the civil code for all regions and cultures of India is a different matter, he argued.

12:37 (IST)

Air India LIVE Updates

Air India passenger detained for carrying 19 live ammunition, FIR registered

A passenger flying from Delhi to Bengaluru on an Air India aircraft was held at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for carrying 19 live cartridges without necessary documents.

The passenger, named as Ajay Kumar Bana, was held at the time of boarding, and a charge against him has been filed at the IGI Airport Police Station under Section 25 of the Arms Act, according to news agency ANI. 

11:58 (IST)

India Space Programme LIVE Updates

India's space programme set to 'transform planet's connection to final frontier'

Lauding India’s ambitious space programme, a leading US newspaper said the country, currently witnessing an “explosive” growth in space-tech start-ups, is set to “transform the planet’s connection to the final frontier” and can emerge as a “counterweight” to China.

“When it launched its first rocket in 1963, India was a poor country pursuing the world’s most cutting-edge technology. That projectile, its nose cone wheeled to the launchpad by a bicycle, put a small payload 124 miles above the Earth. India was barely pretending to keep up with the US and the Soviet Union. In today’s space race, India has found much surer footing, The New York Times said.

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11:57 (IST)

Mumbai LIVE Updates

Several vehicles trapped as road caves in; no casualty

According to authorities, a large piece of a road caved in on Wednesday morning in Mumbai's Chunabhatti district, trapping many automobiles parked there.

According to a fire department officer, there were no casualties.

According to preliminary information, the road caved in at 9 a.m. near a college in the Chunabhatti district, according to the official.

According to him, the fire bridge, civic officials, and police hurried to the scene and blocked off the area surrounding the damaged road.

There have been no reports of injuries, but numerous vehicles parked along the road have become stuck, according to the official.

11:52 (IST)

Balasore Train Accident LIVE Updates

Balasore train accident result of government's misplaced priorities: Congress

The Congress accused the government of headline manipulation on Wednesday, saying the Railways' "sabotage theory" in the Balasore train catastrophe aimed to "escape accountability."

While the launching of Vande Bharat trains proceeds, Congress national secretary Jairam Ramesh stated that the Balasore train accident was caused by "misplaced priorities."

His comments came after a high-level investigation determined that "wrong signalling" was the primary cause of the accident involving three trains in Balasore and identified "lapses at multiple levels" in the signalling and telecommunications (S&T) department, but indicated that the tragedy could have been avoided if previous red flags had been reported.

11:51 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Supriya Sule reaches YB Chavan Centre for Sharad Pawar's NCP meeting

#WATCH | NCP Working President and MP, Supriya Sule reaches YB Chavan in Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/uRxjDsHdaq— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023

11:29 (IST)

Delhi LIVE Updates

Large portion of road caves in at Delhi's Janakpuri, no injuries reported

A large piece of the road in Delhi's Janakpuri district fell in. There were no reported casualties in the event. Barricades have been erected around the collapsed area, and Delhi Police officers are on the scene.

#WATCH | A large portion of road caved in Delhi's Janakpuri area this morning. No injuries were reported. pic.twitter.com/otjQitTJix— ANI (@ANI) July 5, 2023

11:22 (IST)

ICAI CA Results LIVE Updates

ICAI CA Inter, Final Results May 2023 released on icai.nic.in; direct link here

Today, July 5, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) issued the CA Intermediate and CA Final Results 2023. Candidates who took the Chartered Accountant, CA Inter, and CA Final examinations can get their results via icai.nic.in, the ICAI's official website.

"Important Announcement-The results of the Chartered Accountants Final & Intermediate Examination held in May 2023 are likely to be declared on Wednesday, 5th July 2023 & the same can be accessed by candidates on the website icai.nic.in," ICAI announced on Twitter.

11:22 (IST)

Congress LIVE Updates

Kharge slams govt over price rise, unemployment

On Wednesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the Modi administration over growing prices and unemployment, claiming that people will not believe the BJP's "hollow slogans" and will vote it out of office this time.

His assault comes a day after the Congress lambasted the Centre for rising vegetable and other critical food costs, demanding that his administration take quick action to solve the issue.

"Both inflation and unemployment are increasing continuously due to the loot of the Modi government. But the BJP is engrossed in the greed for power," Kharge alleged in a tweet in Hindi. 

10:46 (IST)

India Share Market LIVE Updates

Indian shares muted on weak global cues; financials slip

On Wednesday, Indian stocks dipped slightly as investors grabbed profits at higher levels over fears of a trade war between the United States and China.

As of 10:30 a.m. IST, the Nifty index was down 0.07 per cent at 19,375.85, while the S&P BSE Sensex was down 0.12 per cent at 65,400.03.

High-weightage financials fell more than 0.6 per cent, led by HDFC and HDFC Bank, which fell more than 2.5 per cent apiece.

The drop comes after the National Stock Exchange (NSE) declared that HDFC will be removed from the Nifty 50 from July 13.

10:34 (IST)

India Monsoon LIVE Updates

Light to moderate rain predicted in Delhi

The Met Office has issued a yellow advisory for light to moderate rain in Delhi on Wednesday, saying that the showers might flood low-lying regions and affect traffic flow on major routes.  

The lowest temperature at Delhi's major meteorological station, Safdarjung Observatory, was 27.8 degrees Celsius, which is usual for this time of year. The highest temperature is expected to be approximately 35 degrees Celsius.

On Tuesday, rain fell in parts of Delhi, and the India Meteorological Department predicted gloomy skies with intermittent showers for the next six to seven days.

Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius. 

10:32 (IST)

Early Trade LIVE Updates

Rupee falls 7 paise to 82.08 against US dollar

In early trade on Wednesday, the rupee fell 7 paise to 82.08 versus the US dollar, driven down by the strength of the American currency in the outside market and increasing demand for the dollar from importers.

Foreign money inflows continued to boost the local currency and limit the slide. The domestic unit started at 82.05 on the interbank foreign exchange, then dropped to 82.08, a 7-paise drop from its previous closing.

The rupee had finished at 82.01 per dollar on Tuesday.

The dollar index, which measures the strength of the US currency against a basket of six currencies, increased 0.8 per cent to 103.12.

10:29 (IST)

Uniform Civil Code LIVE Updates

Muslim groups in Kerala to put up legal, political fight against Uniform Civil Code

Representatives of prominent Muslim organisations in Kerala vowed to legally and politically "fight" the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). The organisations, led by the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), believe that if UCC is adopted, it will harm people other than Muslims.

"UCC is not an issue of Muslims, it is of all people. We will unite all people against it and fight legally and politically," said Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal who attended the Tuesday's meeting.

PK Kunhalikutty, a senior IUML leader and MLA, claimed that UCC is being exploited to divide people along communal lines.

Aside from the IUML, two factions of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, two factions of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Muslim Education Society, and the Muslim Service Society attended the conference.

10:03 (IST)

Manipur Violence LIVE Updates

2 incidents of intermittent firing in Manipur, no casualties reported

Intermittent firings were recorded in two locations in Manipur, the most recent in the early hours of Wednesday, but no injuries have been reported, according to security sources here.

They reported the first instance of sporadic shooting between two villages in the Khoijumtambi region between 7 and 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the exchange of fire ended after a while, and no casualties were recorded.

The other occurrence occurred on Wednesday about 4.30 a.m. near the ridge line east of Phaileng. According to the sources, there were no casualties in this incident as well.

So far, nearly 120 people have lost their lives and over 3,000 have been injured in the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur on May 3.

09:26 (IST)

Maharashtra LIVE Updates

Sharad Pawar-led NCP issues whip to all MLAs to attend meeting in Mumbai; Ajit group also issues notice for its meet

The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has issued a whip to all MLAs, urging them to attend a major meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, while the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has also invited a separate gathering of party lawmakers here.

The one-line whip issued on Tuesday by Jitendra Awhad, chief whip of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, said that Sharad Pawar has scheduled a meeting at 1 p.m. on July 5 at the Y B Chavan Centre, and that all MLAs must attend.

After nephew Ajit Pawar joined the Shiv Sena-BJP government with eight other MLAs on Sunday, Pawar senior appointed Awhad as chief whip.

The Ajit Pawar camp also issued a notice on Tuesday to all current and former legislators, parliamentarians, office-bearers, working committee members and others, asking them to attend a meeting convened by Sunil Tatkare, the Maharashtra unit president appointed by the group, at the MET institute's premises in suburban Bandra on Wednesday.

09:05 (IST)

UGC LIVE Updates

UGC on minimum criteria for recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor

For all Higher Education Institutions, the minimum requirement for direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor should be NET/SET/SLET, according to the UGC (University Grants Commission).

08:57 (IST)

Jagan Mohan Reddy LIVE Updates

AP CM Jagan in Delhi on Wednesday, to meet PM Modi, HM Shah

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is expected to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday during his visit to Delhi, according to reports.

During his visit, Reddy is also likely to meet Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, according to sources.

"The Chief Minister will be meeting the PM and HM to press for the unresolved and pending issues related to the state," sources added.

Last month, Opposition Leader and Telugu Desam Party supremo N Chandrababu met with Amit Shah and Nadda. However, there was no official word on the meeting's conclusion.

08:34 (IST)

Operation Muskaan LIVE Updates

Chhattisgarh: 559 missing children recovered under Operation Muskaan

According to an official statement on Tuesday, a total of 559 missing children were recovered from across the state under the state-wide campaign 'Operation Muskaan'.

"In "Operation Muskaan", 72 boys and 487 girls have been recovered, making a total of 559 missing children recovered from across the state. The number includes 76 children from Janjgir-Champa, 56 from Raipur, 52 from Bilaspur, and 52 from Sakti. The remaining children were recovered from other districts. The recovered boys and girls were handed over to their families. The Police achieved success in restoring the smiles on the faces of the missing children and their parents," an official statement said.

Chhattisgarh police initiated a state-wide effort to find the missing children from June 1 to June 30, 2023, under the direction of Inspector General of Police CID SC Dwivedi.

The campaign was carried out throughout Chhattisgarh as well as in other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and Karnataka.

08:28 (IST)

NEET Exam Racket LIVE Updates

Medical college student arrested for running NEET exam racket, says Delhi Police

A student from a local medical school was detained on Tuesday for allegedly conspiring to rig the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

They said the arrest happened around a month after Sanju Yadav, another student at the same college, was detained for impersonating a NEET applicant.

Yadav was apprehended in May because his biometrics did not match those of the original candidate, raising concerns. According to a police officer, his ID card and other documentation, including his Aadhaar card, were all falsified.

During interrogation, Yadav stated that Naresh Bishnoi, a second-year college student, persuaded him to compete in the medical entrance exam as a candidate in exchange for a large quantity of money, according to the official.

According to the police, Bishnoi allegedly took around Rs 6 lakh per candidate. He has been arrested, the police said.

Further investigation in the case is underway and more arrests are likely, they added

08:11 (IST)

Jaishankar LIVE Updates

Jaishankar to embark on four-day visit to Tanzania today

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will depart for Tanzania on Wednesday on a four-day official visit to hold high-level talks and co-chair the 10th Joint Commission Meeting with his counterpart, according to a release from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

During his visit, Jaishankar will meet with the country's senior authorities and attend a reception on the Indian Naval Ship Trishul. He will also address the Indian diaspora and unveil Swami Vivekananda's bust.

08:05 (IST)

COVID-19 LIVE Updates

Mumbai reports four new COVID-19 cases, one death

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) reported four new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 11,63,965.

The death toll rose to 19,774 as another patient died to the virus, according to a report.

According to the notice, the deceased was a 57-year-old lady with TB and chronic renal illness.

On Monday, Mumbai reported one COVID-19 instance with no fatalities.

According to the bulletin, 547 additional tests were done throughout the city, bringing the total to 1,89,00,811.

The number of recovered cases reached 11,44,166, according to the BMC, after seven additional individuals recovered from the virus, leaving the city with 25 active cases.

07:41 (IST)

Manipur Violence LIVE Updates

Mob tries to loot weapons from security camp; 1 killed, Assam Rifles jawan shot at

A mob allegedly tried to steal weapons from an Indian Reserved Battalion (IRB) camp in Manipur's Thoubal district on Tuesday, resulting in a conflict with security personnel in which a 27-year-old man was slain and an Assam Riles jawan was fired at, according to officials.

According to them, the crowd attempted to raid the camp of the 3rd IRB batallion in the Khangabok region in order to steal weaponry and ammunition.

Soon after, a battle with the military erupted. Initially, the troops deployed teargas shells and rubber bullets to try to contain the situation. However, when the armed crowd opened fire, the military retaliated, according to authorities.

The mob also blocked the roads leading to the camp at multiple locations to prevent reinforcements from reaching there, but the forces moved through, they said.

The mob attacked a team of the Assam Rifles that was on the way to the camp. They fired on the Assam Rifles personnel, in which a jawan was injured, and torched their vehicle, officials said.

The jawan was shot in the leg, they said.

07:38 (IST)

Naga Political Issue LIVE Updates

Solution to Naga peace talks eluding hopes of people: Top tribal organization

The Naga Hoho stated on Tuesday that celebrating the nine-year anniversary of the Narendra Modi-led federal government would have been "most appropriate" if peace negotiations had succeeded and peace had been restored in violence-torn Manipur.

"As we celebrate nine years of Modi government, how we wish if this celebration or observation of the achievements that has taken place was clubbed with the resolution of the Naga political issue during his time as prime minister," said K Elu Ndang, the general secretary of Naga Hoho, an apex body of tribal organisations of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland.

People have been looking forward to this political settlement, but it appears to be escaping them, he told reporters during an event here.

In his remarks on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), Ndang urged the Centre to rethink its decision to adopt it in the northeast area in general, and Nagaland in particular.

The UCC may not be fit for the Naga people or tribals in general, but it may cause greater harm, he claims.

07:28 (IST)

SCO Summit LIVE Updates

At SCO summit, India reiterates opposition to China's Belt and Road Initiative

India declined to support China's grandiose Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Tuesday, becoming the first country in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to do so.

Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan reiterated their support for the BRI in a proclamation released at the conclusion of a virtual summit hosted by India.

"Reaffirming their support for China's 'Belt and Road Initiative' (BRI) initiative, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan note the ongoing work to jointly implement this project, including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and BRI," it said.

According to the declaration, the member states also thought it was important to ensure the implementation of the SCO Economic Development Strategy 2030, which was adopted by "interested member states," as well as projects aimed at promoting cooperation in areas such as digital economy, high technology, and modernization of existing international road and rail transport routes.