Prime Minister Narendra Modi has skipped the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit meet in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Is India’s interest in this grouping fading? Mint examines this question and more.
What is SCO and how did it come about?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was formed in 2001. It evolved from an earlier avatar known as the Shanghai Five, comprising Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and China. The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the birth of 15 independent nations in Central Asia that were concerned about religious extremism and ethnic tensions. The Shanghai Five was formed in 1996 to mainly manage cooperation on these matters. In 2001, with the addition of Uzbekistan, the Five became the SCO and broadened the scope of cooperation to include trade, connectivity, tourism, etc.
When and why did India join the SCO?
India joined the SCO in 2017 along with Pakistan. India’s interest stemmed from its belief in a multipolar world. India has long sought access to Central Asia given its natural resources but its efforts were blocked by decades of tension with Pakistan. “The permanent membership of the SCO will offer India with some unique opportunities to get constructively engaged with Eurasia,” says a 2017 government note. New Delhi had plans for a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to India via Pakistan and Afghanistan but security worries derailed them. SCO was also seen as a platform to push Pakistan to act against terror.
Who are SCO’s current members?
India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are full members. This year Belarus was admitted as a full member. Afghanistan and Mongolia are observers. Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bahrain, Cambodia, Egypt, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Türkiye and the UAE have dialogue partner status.
How important is the SCO for India?
One of the reasons India joined the SCO was Russia’s primary role in it and its emergence as a ‘non -West’ platform. The Ukraine war and China overshadowing Russia could be why Modi skipped this year’s summit. Indian and Chinese troops are in the midst of a tense standoff in Ladakh which began in 2020 and shows no signs of easing. India’s ties with Pakistan too are frayed on the issue of terrorism. Having gained full membership, India will certainly not abandon it but its level of participation in the future is unclear.
Which way are things headed in SCO?
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar characterized India as non-West rather than anti-West. He stressed India’s desire to ensure multiple options for itself—which may mean continued engagement in forums like SCO, BRICS and the Quad. But India would be uncomfortable with the SCO if it takes on an anti-West stance. Given tensions between the West, and China and Russia, this is a possibility.
Elizabeth Roche is associate professor at Jindal Global University.