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SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Posted on July 30, 2022 by admin1  519

In News

  • Recently the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)’s Foreign Ministers’ meeting was concluded at Tashkent in Uzbekistan.

Highlights of the event

  • Expansion of SCO: 
    • India welcomed the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to include Iran.
    • 2021 SCO summit in Dushanbe agreed for Iran to join. 
  • Energy and food crisis:
    • India also raised the problems of the energy crisis and food crisis arising from the “Ukraine conflict” which must be “urgently addressed”.
    • The response required includes resilient and diversified supply chains as well as reformed multilateralism and zero tolerance towards terrorism.
  • Assistance to Afghanistan:
    • India highlighted its assistance to Afghanistan at the meeting.
    • India’s humanitarian support included wheat, medicines, vaccines and clothing.
  • Connectivity:
    • India pushed for Chabahar port to be a conduit for trade to central Asia.
    • Pakistan’s Foreign Minister promoted the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor for trans-regional trade.

Significance

  • Iran’s membership:
    • As a country that has been long sanctioned and isolated by the US-led West, Iran, by joining the SCO that accounts for 40 percent of the world’s population and 28 percent of global GDP, could expect a breakthrough in its geopolitical and economic status quo.
    • Iran has also approached the SCO with a proposal to create a new single currency for carrying out trade among SCO members, in a push to counter the increasing weaponization of the US dollar-dominated global financial system.
  • Rising influence of SCO & countering west:
    • The significance of this round of expansion is that it shows the SCO’s rising international influence and that the principles of the SCO charter are being widely accepted.
    • China and Russia are looking to frame the grouping as a counter to the West — particularly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
  • Chabahar Port:
    • With the increasing presence of China in Iran, India has been concerned about the strategic stakes of the Chabahar port project.
    • The access to the Chabahar port may prove strategically important for India.
    • Chinese closer ties with oil producers can bring governance and energy security issues for India.
  • China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC):
    • The CPEC is a collection of infrastructure projects that have been under construction throughout Pakistan beginning 2013. 
    • The CPEC is part of China’s larger Belt and Road Initiative.
    • India has protested the project from its inception since it passes through large chunks of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):

  • About:
    • It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation of Eurasian Nations with a secretariat in Beijing.
  • Aim:
    • It is a political, economic and military organisation that aims at maintaining peace, security and stability in the region.
  • Origin: Journey from Shanghai Five to 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.
    • The SCO Charter was signed in 2002 and entered into force in 2003.
  • Inclusion of India & Pakistan:
    • India and Pakistan both were initially observer states.
    • Both were given full membership in 2017.
  • Members:
    • Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan.
  • Language: 
    • The SCO’s official languages are Russian and Chinese.
  • Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation:
    • Heads of State Council:
      • It is the supreme SCO body that decides its internal functioning and its interaction with other States & international organisations.
        • It also considers contemporary international issues.
    • Heads of Government Council:
      • It approves the budget, considers and decides upon issues related to economic spheres of interaction within SCO.
    • Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs:
      • It considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
    • Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS):
      • It was established to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.
    • SCO Secretariat: 
      • It is based in Beijing. 
      • It provides informational, analytical & organisational support.

 

Significance of SCO for India

  • India’s upcoming Presidency:
    • India will take over the SCO Presidency in 2023.
    • India will also host the upcoming SCO Summit in 2023, which will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. 
  • Varanasi – Cultural and Tourism Capital of SCO:
    • The holy city of Varanasi, showcasing India’s culture and traditions over the ages, will be declared the first “Cultural and Tourism Capital” of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation for 2022-23.
    • The new initiative will come into force after the Samarkand summit.
    • It is a new initiative by the eight-member organisation to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism among the member states.
      • The title of ‘Cultural and Tourism Capital’ will be rotated among the member states.
  • Security:
    • RATS can help India to improve its counterterrorism abilities by working toward intelligence sharing, law enforcement and developing best practices and technologies.
    • Through the SCO, India can also work on anti-drug trafficking and small arms proliferation.
  • Regional Integration:
    • SCO can help in achieving regional integration and promote connectivity and stability across borders.
    • Further, it also helps India to have a multilateral talk with friends like Russia and adversaries like China and Pakistan.
  • Geopolitical Advantage:
    • Central Asia is a part of India’s Extended Neighbourhood.
    • And SCO provides India with an opportunity to pursue the “Connect Central Asian Policy”.
    • It will also help India to check on the ever-growing influence of China in Eurasia.

Source: TH

 
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