News Highlight
India to host SCO Defence Ministers meeting this week.
Key Takeaway
- The Defence Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will visit India.
- It will include China’s Li Shangfu and Russia’s Sergei Shoigu later this week, according to India’s Ministry of Defence on April 25.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
- About
- The SCO is a permanent international intergovernmental organisation.
- It is a political, economic, and military organisation in Eurasian that seeks to ensure regional peace, security, and stability.
- It was founded in 2001.
- The SCO Charter was signed in 2002 and took effect in 2003.
- Background
- Before the formation of the SCO in 2001, the Shanghai Five consisted of Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan.
- The Shanghai Five (1996) developed from border delineation and demilitarisation agreements held by the four former Soviet republics with China to assure border stability.
- The Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO after Uzbekistan joined the organisation in 2001.
- India and Pakistan joined in 2017.
- It was announced on September 17, 2021, that Iran would become a full member of the SCO.
- Members
- Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan and Iran.
Structure of SCO
- Heads of State Council
- The top SCO body decides on internal SCO operations, interactions with other states and international institutions, and international concerns.
- Heads of Government Council
- Approves the budget and evaluates and decide on topics relating to SCO’s economic domains of engagement.
- Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs
- Considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)
- Terrorism, separatism, and extremism are all being combated.
- SCO Secretariat
- This position will provide informational, analytical, and organisational support based in Beijing.
- Official language
- The official working language of the SCO Secretariat is Russian and Chinese.
Importance of SCO for IndiaImportance of SCO for India
- Membership in the SCO has also aided India in becoming a significant pain-Asian player, which was recently included in the South Asian Region.
- It is critical for India’s proclaimed strategy of “multi-alignment.”
- The SCO is vitally significant to India because its security, strategic, economic, and geopolitical interests are all entwined with developments in this area.
- Terrorism, radicalism, and instability seriously threaten Indian sovereignty and integrity.
- A stable Afghanistan is in India’s interests, and RATS gives access to counter-terrorism information not centred on Pakistan.
- Access to these resources becomes problematic in Central Asian landlocked republics.
- India has prioritised the construction of International North-South Transport in this regard.
- Joining the SCO will assist India in connecting Central Asia and South Asia.
- India’s extended vicinity includes Central Asia.
- India’s connections with the region offer significant potential for strengthening ties in economic, security, policy, investment, commerce, connectivity, energy, and capacity building.
- Following India’s admission to the SCO, the Indian leadership.
- It includes prime ministers and has had the opportunity to meet with counterparts from Central Asia, Russia, China, Afghanistan, and others regularly and frequently.
- Through the Prime Minister’s historic tour to the five Central Asian Republics in July 2015.
- India displayed significant interest in expanding multifaceted relations with Central Asia.
- Several agreements have been inked, and new projects have begun.
Challenges for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
- Diverse Interests
- Members of the SCO have a wide range of interests, histories, and cultures.
- This diversity might make it challenging to agree on crucial subjects, leading to conflicts or disagreements.
- Pakistan and India, for example, are body members at odds with one another.
- Terrorism
- Terrorism and extremism constitute a massive threat to the SCO region, hence countering terrorism is a top priority for the organisation.
- However, coordinating counter-terrorism activities among member states remains challenging, particularly in exchanging intelligence and information.
- Economic Cooperation
- The SCO’s mission is to encourage economic cooperation among its member countries.
- However, there are still obstacles to trade and investment, particularly considering the economic inequalities among member countries.
- External Influences
- Members of the SCO are located in a strategically significant region.
- External issues such as primary power interests and regional conflicts frequently influence the organisation’s work.
- This can make pursuing the SCO’s own goals and priorities difficult.
Way Forward
- Overall, the SCO’s path forward entails boosting economic, security, and cultural cooperation, engaging with dialogue partners, developing institutional processes, and addressing new regional concerns.
Pic Courtesy: China US Focus
Content Source: The Hindu