Article 2: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): India’s Role and Regional Cooperation
Why in news: India will host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum in Delhi from November 20–22, 2026, to promote cultural cooperation, civilisational exchanges and people-to-people ties among member states, including Pakistan.
Key Details
- Established: 15 June 2001, in Shanghai, China, evolving from the Shanghai Five mechanism formed in 1996.
- Membership: 10 member states, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran.
- Core Objectives: Promoting regional security, economic cooperation, political trust and cultural exchanges.
- Headquarters: SCO Secretariat in Beijing, China; Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
- India's Role: India became a full member in 2017 and uses the SCO to strengthen engagement with Central Asia, combat terrorism and promote regional connectivity.
Establishment OF SCO
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental organisation that promotes regional cooperation in security, politics, economics and cultural affairs.
- It was established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China.
- It evolved from the Shanghai Five mechanism, formed in 1996 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
- Uzbekistan joined the original five countries to establish the SCO in 2001.
- The organisation aims to promote regional stability, mutual trust, good-neighbourly relations and cooperation among its members.
Objectives and Principles
- Regional security: Combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, collectively known as the three evils.
- Political cooperation: Strengthening mutual trust, sovereignty and territorial integrity among member states.
- Economic cooperation: Promoting trade, investment, connectivity, energy cooperation and regional development.
- Cultural cooperation: Encouraging educational exchanges, tourism and people-to-people contacts.
- Respect for sovereignty: Following the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and equality among member states.
- Multipolar world order: Supporting a more inclusive international system and greater representation of developing countries in global affairs.
Membership and Institutional Structure
- The SCO has 10 member states: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus.
- India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, while Iran joined in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.
- Council of Heads of State: The highest decision-making body, which determines the organisation's priorities and major policy directions.
- Council of Heads of Government: Focuses on economic cooperation, budgets and other practical areas of collaboration.
- Secretariat: Based in Beijing, China, and responsible for administrative coordination.
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and coordinates cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
India's Role and Significance
- India became a full member of the SCO in 2017, expanding its engagement with Central Asia and Eurasia.
- Regional security: Provides a platform for cooperation against terrorism, extremism and organised crime.
- Connectivity and trade: Supports India's engagement with Central Asian markets and discussions on transport and energy connectivity.
- Energy security: Offers opportunities to strengthen cooperation with energy-rich Central Asian countries.
- Strategic engagement: Enables India to interact with major regional powers, including China and Russia, while advancing its national interests.
- Challenges: Political tensions with China and Pakistan, connectivity constraints and differences among members can limit the organisation's effectiveness.
Significance and Challenges
- Regional stability: Provides a forum for dialogue and confidence-building among Eurasian countries.
- Counterterrorism: Facilitates information sharing, joint exercises and cooperation against security threats.
- Economic opportunities: Encourages trade, investment, transport links and energy partnerships.
- Global governance: Gives members a platform to discuss international issues and advocate reforms in global institutions.
- Geopolitical differences: Rivalries among member states can obstruct consensus and effective implementation.
- Institutional limitations: The SCO relies heavily on consensus and has limited authority to enforce decisions, which can reduce the impact of its initiatives.
Conclusion
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is an important platform for regional cooperation across Eurasia. It provides opportunities to address security threats, strengthen economic ties and promote political dialogue. For India, the SCO supports engagement with Central Asia and major regional powers. However, geopolitical rivalries, connectivity constraints and differences among members limit its effectiveness. Greater mutual trust and practical cooperation are essential for achieving its objectives.