NEW DELHI, April 28. /TASS/. The importance of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is growing against the backdrop of the current global situation, conflicts and contradictions, India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said at a meeting of defense ministers of SCO member states.

"Today, the role of platforms like the SCO becomes even more significant as the global landscape appears increasingly fragmented and countries are turning more inward. The world is currently at a critical crossroads where growing unilateralism and conflicts have become a harsh reality. The foundations of consensus seem to be weakening, and dissenting voices are growing louder than ever before," he said.

According to the Indian minister, "the world faces unprecedented challenges." "In recent years, relentless conflicts have led to significant casualties and material losses, and this troubling trend continues. Given our commitment to defense and security, this is a moment for deep reflection so that we can take effective steps to address these challenges," he went on to say.

"Since the SCO represents a large part of the global population, we have a responsibility to ensure peace and stability not only in our region but across the world. We must continue to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy rather than relentless force. We must not allow an era of violence and war to take hold. Instead, we must make sure our time is an era of peace and prosperity," Singh said.

The minister noted that calls for a new world order have been heard frequently as of late. "We need an order where every citizen of this world is treated with dignity and respect. We need an order where disagreements do not escalate into disputes, and disputes do not lead to disasters. The real crisis today lies not in the absence of order but in the tendency to question the established, rules-based world order. We must focus on a global consensus where coexistence, cohabitation and compassion take priority over chaos, competition and conflicts," he added.