It is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation and was formed in 2001.
Shanghai five
Shanghai Five, a political association based on the Agreement on Confidence-Building in the Military Field in the Border Area and the Agreement on the Mutual Reduction of Armed Forces Members: (SCO - UZBEKISTAN)
Working
- The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body in the SCO.
- The secretary general and executive director of RATS is appointed by HSC for 3 Year term.
- The Heads of Government Council (HGC) meets once per year to discuss a strategy for multilateral cooperation and priority directions within the Organisation's framework.
- Organisation has two permanent bodies — the Secretariat in Beijing (China) and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.
- SCO RATS: Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of SCO is a permanent body based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The objective of RATS is based upon the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism. RATS possess information on terrorist organisations and terrorists.
Members
- NINE countries are currently SCO full members: Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan became full members in 2017 and IRAN in 2023.
- SCO decided to admit India & Pakistan at the Ufa summit of 2015.
- India participated for the first time as a full member at the recently held 18th Qingdao Summit of SCO in China that was held in 2018.
SCO Business Council
- Business Council of SCO was founded in 2006 in Shanghai. It is a non-government entity that unites highly authoritative business community representatives of SCO member states.
- SCO Business Council is an independent institution capable of taking advisory decisions and giving expert assessments regarding the involvement of members of the business communities of the SCO member states in trade, economic and investment interaction within the framework of the Organisation.
- SCO Business Council's Permanent Secretariat is headquartered in Moscow.
SCO INTERBANK CONSTORIUM
- Established in 2005 to provide funding and bank services for investment projects sponsored by the governments of the SCO member states.
- The members of the SCO IBC are Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- INDIA is also a member of SCO IBC
- China is the largest economic power in SCO. India is now the 2nd largest economic power in SCO.
- Military exercise ‘Peace Mission 2018’ was conducted in Russia and became the first platform after UN Peace Mission Peacekeeping Missions for joint military engagement between India and Pakistan.
- The military exercise called ‘Tsentr (Centre) 2019 wasconducted by Russia at Orenburg, where all SCO members participated.
- Wonders of SCO include archaeological and historical monuments of SCO. It includes Statue of Unity (India), Daming Palace (China), Navruz Palace (Tajikistan), Mughals Heritage (Pakistan), Tamgaly Gorge(Kazakhstan), Po-i-Kalan Complex (Uzbekistan),The Golden Ring of Russia and Lahore, Mughals heritage (Pakistan).
SCO and INDIA
- Held a virtual exhibition on shared Buddhist heritage
- Hosted First SCO STARTUP FORUM
- Translation of Indian books into official languages (Russian and Chinese) of SCO
SAMARKAND Declaration
- The presidentship was handed over to India for 2023 as the membership is on a rotational basis.
- IRAN was accepted as a permanent member of SCO
- VARANASI was accepted as the SCO cultural and tourism capital.
- The declaration also urged for commitment to peaceful resolution of disagreements and issues among countries via communication and consultation.
Importance for INDIA
India’s security, geopolitical, strategic and economic interests are closely intertwined with developments in the Central Asian region.
- Energy Security: Central Asian region is richly endowed with energy resources which India is trying to gain access to through Chabahar port construction in Iran and construction of International North-South Transport Corridor.
- Economic Growth: SCO has high economic potential because 40% of world’s population lives in its countries, and they produce more than 22% of global GDP, that is by 2025, expected to reach 38-40%.
- Security Cooperation: RATS is viewed by India as a platform to access intelligence and information and as a solution to regional security cooperation as SCO remains committed to countering international terrorism, drug trafficking and resolving conflict in Afghanistan.
- Gateway to Eurasia: India’s membership in the SCO is an opportunity for India to engage the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) thereby Eurasian market.
- Connect to Central Asia: SCO is a potential platform to advance India’s Connect Central Asia policy.
- Enhanced status: SCO membership also bolsters India’s status as a major Pan-Asian player, which is boxed in the South Asian paradigm.
- Value alignment: “Shanghai spirit” emphasizes on harmony, non-interference in others’ internal affairs, and non-alignment - values that India has always cherished and upheld.
- Forum for bilateral cooperation with China: It is yet another opening, like the BRICS summit last year, to bring down tensions, and ahead of the next informal summit in October in India.
- Platform for India to engage Pakistan: In the absence of the SAARC summit, the SCO summit gives an opportunity for Indian and Pakistani leaders to meet informally, on the side-lines and to engage in antiterrorism cooperation. Thus, SCO shall provide a platform to resolve their differences.
CHALLENGES FOR INDIA IN SCO
- Dominance of China and Russia: Russia and China as a co-founder of the SCO are the dominant powers in the groupings, thus limiting India’s ability to assert itself.
- China’s Belt and Road initiative: All group members except India have endorsed China’s BRI initiative. India on the other hand has repeatedly oppose China’s Belt and Road Initiative citing sovereignty issues arising out of CPEC.
- India-Pakistan rivalry: India and Pakistan are on continuous confrontation that makes it difficult to adhere to the idea of “good-neighborliness” prescribed in Article 1 of the SCO charter.
- India walked out of a virtual meeting of National Security Advisors of SCO after Pakistan presented a “fictitious” map of the country at the meet.
- Definition of terrorism: India’s definition of terrorism is different from the definition of SCO under RATS. For SCO, terrorism coincides with regime destabilization, whereas for India it is related to state sponsored cross border terrorism.
WAY FORWARD
Thus, it can be said that SCO is part of India’s stated policy of pursuing “multi-alignments.” Hence, India must continue to look for positive engagement with the member nations of this organization.
INDIA'S Membership of SCO and QUAD - A geopolitical contradiction?
India's membership of the Shanghai cooperation Organization and the Quadrilateral security dialogue is seen as a geopolitical contradiction by various experts. SCO is a China led initiative, while Quad is a US led initiative. India is a member of which has made some experts to call it contradiction. Questions have been raised as to how far India can walk the tightrope of Strategic autonomy by participating in the SCO and quad which have opposite objectives.
| SCO | QUAD |
|---|---|
| SCO with Russia and China is seen as Counter to the NATO | Quad with US allies is seen as a counter to the China and Russia |
| India Joined SCO in 2017 | Quad began after 2004 but revived after 2017 |
| SCO deals with continental neighbourhood | Quad deals with maritime neighbourhood |
| Except India SCO members have taken a stand on Taliban | Quad members have stayed distant |
CONTRADICTIONS WITHIN THE SCO
- Afghan contact group - India is not on the same page with other members of the SCO
- Connectivity - India is not a part of China's BRI. It has different approach to connectivity. INSTC, TAPI, Chabahar Port etc.
- Terrorism - SCO RATS mechanism. India participates in SCO RATS Military exercise. India blames Pakistan, but other countries are collaborating with Pakistan.
CONTRADICTIONS WITHIN THE QUAD
- COVID-19 Vaccine - India is expected to supply vaccine in the Indo - Pacific with the Support of US. However, the contours are still not clear. Lack of clarity on WTO waiver.
- Climate Change - India works with Solar alliance and Paris accord but has not yet signed the goals set by other members of the QUAD.
- Supply Chains - India is keen on building alternate supply chains from the ones dominated by China. It is part of SRI of which US is not a part.
- AUKUS security Partnership - India is not a member and there is lack of clarity on how it will engage with the QUAD.
ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF INDIA'S POSITION
- India is not the only country in multiple multilateral groupings which conflict or compete.
- US is a part of QUAD but has still announced AUKUS with UK and Australia.
- US had also announced a Connectivity Quad with Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- US Russia China formed the Troika to discuss Afghanistan as well Troika+ with Pakistan.
- Even within the groups some contradictions are unavoidable.
- World politics is no more Bipolar as it used to be during the cold war era.
- The present global order can be seen in paradigm of "complex interdependence".
- In such a world-order contradictions are bound to happen.
- In hostile regions continuous engagement creates possibilities for future leverage.
- Engagement is natural corollary to India's principled stand of Strategic autonomy, where India engages on multiple platforms to pursue its interest.
WAY FORWARD
At a time when role of US is unclear in Indo-pacific because of Parallel Quad and AUKUS and when strategic leverage of India is decreasing in the central Asia, engagement with SCO and QUAD provides opportunity to India to raise its voice in a dynamic geopolitical space.