Minsk, June 26: India is one of the important areas of Belarus's foreign policy, the country's Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin spotlighted during his meeting with Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh held on the sidelines of the SCO Defence Ministers Meeting in China's Qingdao, on Thursday.

"Our countries have the same positions on current issues of international security. Belarus and India are united in the issue of the need to follow the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve existing conflicts," Khrenin said during his meeting with Singh.

According to the Defence Ministry of Belarus, Khrenin noted that cooperation with India is one of the important areas of Belarus's foreign policy, and bilateral relations are developing on the principles of mutual benefit and respect.

"In turn, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed confidence in deepening bilateral relations and emphasised that over the 33-year history of relations between Belarus and India, it has been possible not only to strengthen, but also to diversify the areas of cooperation," the statement added.

The two ministers also summed up the interim results of joint work for 2025, discussed issues of deepening cooperation, including in the field of military education, and agreed on a list of activities for the near future with an emphasis on the practical component.

The working meeting was held on the sidelines of the Meeting of Defence Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.

"Enriching interaction with the Belarusian Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin in Qingdao," Defence Minister Singh posted on X after the meeting.

It was under India's first-ever presidency of SCO in 2023 that Iran joined the SCO family as a new member and the signing of the Memorandum of Obligation for Belarus' SCO membership took place.

--IANS

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