Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): Eurasian Geopolitics, Regional Security, and India’s Strategic Role
“In a multipolar world, cooperation is not just an option—it’s a necessity.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has emerged as one of the most influential regional groupings in the Eurasian landmass. Initially formed to address security concerns, the SCO has evolved into a comprehensive multilateral platform addressing regional security, economic development, cultural exchange, and counter-terrorism. As a full member since 2017, India’s involvement in SCO reflects its strategic interest in Central Asia and its aspiration for a multipolar and balanced global order.
This detailed blog explores the origin, evolution, structure, objectives, key areas of cooperation, India’s engagement, achievements, criticisms, and the future trajectory of the SCO through a geopolitical and multidimensional lens.
🌍 What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?
- A permanent intergovernmental international organisation founded in 2001 in Shanghai
- Evolved from the Shanghai Five (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan)
- Expanded in 2017 with the inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members
- As of 2024, comprises 9 full members, 3 observers, and multiple dialogue partners
- SCO represents over 40% of the world’s population and more than 30% of global GDP, making it a powerful bloc in shaping international discourse
🕰️ Timeline of Key Events
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1996 | Shanghai Five established (China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) |
| 2001 | Formation of SCO; Uzbekistan joins |
| 2005 | India, Iran, Pakistan granted observer status |
| 2009 | First joint military drill under Peace Mission held in Russia |
| 2017 | India and Pakistan admitted as full members |
| 2021 | Iran admitted as full member (ratified in 2023) |
| 2022 | Belarus begins accession process |
| 2023 | SCO Summit hosted virtually by India |
🏛️ Structure and Institutions of SCO
- Council of Heads of State (CHS): Supreme decision-making body
- Council of Heads of Government (CHG): Approves budget, economic programs
- Secretariat (Beijing): Administrative arm
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
- Business Council and Interbank Consortium: Promote economic cooperation
- SCO Youth Council: Encourages youth participation in regional integration
- SCO Cultural and Scientific Committees: Promote joint educational initiatives and heritage preservation
🎯 Core Objectives
- Strengthen mutual trust and neighborliness among member states
- Promote effective cooperation in politics, trade, economy, energy, culture, education, transportation, environmental protection
- Safeguard regional peace, security, and stability
- Establish a new democratic, fair, and rational international political and economic order
- Fight the “three evils” of terrorism, separatism, and extremism
🌐 Current Members (as of 2024)
| Full Members | Observers | Dialogue Partners |
|---|---|---|
| China | Afghanistan | Armenia, Turkey |
| Russia | Mongolia | Egypt, Qatar |
| India | Iran (till 2023) | Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan |
| Pakistan | Sri Lanka, Nepal | |
| Kazakhstan | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | ||
| Uzbekistan | ||
| Tajikistan | ||
| Iran |
🧭 India’s Strategic Interests in SCO
- Energy Security: Central Asia holds vast reserves of oil and gas, crucial for India’s energy diversification
- Counterterrorism: Leverage RATS to address cross-border terror networks, especially emanating from Afghanistan and Pakistan
- Connectivity Projects: Push for International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar Port as counterweights to China’s BRI
- Multilateral Influence: Shape regional dialogue on Afghanistan, counterbalance China-Pak axis
- Soft Power Diplomacy: Promote Yoga, Ayurveda, and Indian cinema through SCO festivals
- Space and Tech Collaboration: India has initiated cooperation in satellite navigation and digital infrastructure development
🔬 Multidimensional Impact and Perspectives
📈 Economic:
- Trade among SCO members crossed $6 trillion (2023), with a rising focus on de-dollarization
- Push for local currency trading, especially yuan and ruble, within SCO framework
- India promotes regional MSME collaboration and startup incubation hubs
🛡️ Security:
- RATS enables real-time intelligence sharing and joint counterterror exercises
- “Peace Mission” military drills build trust and interoperability
- India hosted SCO joint drill “Urban Shield 2023” to simulate urban terror response
- Discussions around combating narco-terrorism from Afghanistan and cybercrime
📚 Cultural and Educational:
- India leads in Sanskrit and Hindi language outreach
- SCO literary prizes, cinema festivals, and student exchange programs
- Proposed SCO Open University and cross-border scholarship schemes
🌍 Geopolitical:
- Offers India diplomatic space beyond Western alliances
- Platform to engage with China diplomatically, amid LAC tensions
- India uses SCO to push for Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process
♻️ Environmental:
- India promoted SCO Green Energy Taskforce at 2023 Summit
- Joint disaster management, glacial melt monitoring, and clean tech development
📌 Key Case Studies and Developments
- Afghanistan Dialogue (2021–2024): SCO became a key platform for regional talks post-US withdrawal. India advocated for inclusive governance and women’s rights.
- Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): India proposed a cross-border UPI system and secure digital ID network
- Health Cooperation: Post-pandemic, India initiated SCO Health Ministers’ Meeting to discuss vaccine production and pandemics
🧨 Challenges and Criticisms
- India–Pakistan Rivalry: Regular diplomatic spats undermine consensus-building
- China’s Dominance: Beijing’s BRI-centric agenda conflicts with India’s regional vision
- Consensus-Based Model: Makes timely decision-making difficult
- Lack of Legal Binding Instruments: Most decisions are declarations without enforceable mechanisms
- Bureaucratic Complexity: Multilingual operations and institutional redundancies
📊 India’s Key Contributions and Proposals
- Digital Public Infrastructure (UPI, DigiLocker-like systems)
- SCO Startup Forum and Innovation Index (2023)
- Proposal for Joint SCO Digital Silk Road
- Sustainable agriculture promotion via SCO Millet Festival
- Hosting the SCO Film Festival in Mumbai
- Proposing joint space missions and sharing data from India’s Earth Observation Satellites
💬 Global Comparisons
| Organisation | Focus | India’s Role |
|---|---|---|
| SCO | Regional Security + Economic | Full Member since 2017 |
| BRICS | Economic and Political Reform | Founding member |
| SAARC | South Asian Cooperation | Founding member (inactive) |
| QUAD | Indo-Pacific security | Strategic partner (non-security focus in SCO) |
| G20 | Global economic coordination | Active participant |
🔮 Future Outlook
- Expansion to Belarus and possibly Middle East countries
- Push for SCO Free Trade Zone discussions
- Digitally integrated SCO for trade, education, and governance
- India can play a leading role in defining alternative connectivity models (Chabahar, INSTC)
- Need to resolve India-China and India-Pakistan irritants to maximize gains
🏁 Conclusion
“India’s presence in SCO is not just a strategic move—it’s a statement of its aspiration to shape Eurasia’s future.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation may not grab daily headlines, but its role in defining regional balance, economic integration, and collective security is undeniable. For India, SCO is not just about countering adversaries but about shaping the architecture of cooperation in a complex and rapidly shifting world. If handled with strategic foresight, the SCO can be a crucible for 21st-century multilateralism where India asserts not just its interests, but its values.
: Eurasian Geopolitics, Regional Security, and India’s Strategic Role){kind=link}