SCO Summit 2024

Syllabus: GS2/Regional Groupings

Context

• The heads of government meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was attended by India, Pakistan, China, Russia and six other member countries.
  • External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Islamabad for the meeting, the first such visit in nine years.

Key Takeaways

• Due to territorial sovereignty issues, India remains the only SCO member to oppose China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
  • The SCO’s joint communique reaffirmed support for China’s BRI.
• The summit saw criticism of Western sanctions on Russia and Iran, which were deemed harmful to international trade and economic relations.
• Discussions between India and Pakistan indicated a potential resumption of cricket ties, though these are still early.
• In a reference to Pakistan, the External Affairs Minister said, “If activities across borders are characterised by terrorism, extremism and separatism, they are hardly likely to encourage trade, energy flows, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges in parallel.”

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• Shanghai Five emerged in 1996 from a series of border demarcation and demilitarization talks between 4 former USSR republics and China.
  • Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
  • With the accession of Uzbekistan to the group in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
• Objective: To enhance regional cooperation for efforts to curb terrorism, separatism, and extremism in the Central Asian region.
• Members: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus and the four Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,.
• Observer status: Afghanistan and Mongolia.
• Language: The SCO’s official languages are Russian and Chinese.
• Structure: The supreme decision-making body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of States (CHS) which meets once a year.
  • The Organization has 2 standing bodies — the Secretariat in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent. 

Significance for India

• Regional Security: The SCO serves as a platform for addressing security concerns, including terrorism, separatism, and extremism, which are critical issues for India given its geographical and political context.
• Economic Cooperation: The organization facilitates economic collaboration among member states, which enhance trade and investment opportunities for India, particularly with Central Asian countries.
• Geopolitical Influence: India’s membership in the SCO helps enhance its influence in Central Asia and counterbalances the presence of China and Pakistan in the region.
• Central Asia: The SCO is especially important for India because its membership and focus emphasize Central Asia—a region where India is keen to ramp up ties but faces an inherent constraint with its outreach.
  • In recent years, India has convened dialogues with Central Asian leaders to signal India’s commitment to partnership—and the visit by External Affairs Minister to Islamabad is to amplify that message.

Challenges

• China-Pakistan Axis: The strong partnership between China and Pakistan within the SCO complicates India’s strategic positioning, as at times it limits India’s influence in regional security discussions.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Ongoing border disputes and geopolitical tensions with China and Pakistan spill over into SCO discussions, making it difficult for India to engage constructively.
• Focus on Security over Economic Development: The SCO’s primary focus on security issues sometimes overshadow economic and developmental cooperation, which are crucial for India’s interests in the region.

Conclusion

• India has to maintain a delicate balance as the dynamics of the SCO are changing.
• The External Affairs Minister’s trip was intended to signal India’s commitment to the SCO, not to strengthen ties with Pakistan.

Source: IE