Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Eurasian political, economic and military organisation. It grew out of the Shanghai five that was founded in 1996 with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as its original members.

On the 15th of June 2001, Uzbekistan joined the group that was officially renamed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. In June 2002, the SCO charter was signed at the St. Petersburg SCO heads of the state meeting. The charter came into force on 19th September, 2003. It is the fundamental statutory document that outlines the organisation’s goals and principles, its structure and core activities.

In June 2017, the SCO accorded permanent membership to India and Pakistan taking the number of full members in the group to 8. The presence of China and India, the world’s most populous countries makes the SCO an organisation with the largest population coverage.

Apart from 8 permanent member states, the SCO has 4 observer states – Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia. Countries like Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka are dialogue partners in the organisation.

Main Goals of SCO

• Strengthening mutual trust, neighbourliness among member states.
• Promoting cooperation in politics, trade economy, research, technology and culture.
• Enhancing ties in areas like education, energy, transport, tourism, environmental protection.
• Maintaining and ensuring peace, security and stability in the region.
• Moving towards establishment of a democratic, fair and rational new international political and economic order. 

Originally formed as a confidence building forum to demilitarize borders, the SCO’s goals and agenda broadened over the years to include increased military and counter terrorism cooperation as well as intelligence sharing. In recent years, Economic cooperation has become one of the most pressing goals of the organisation.

India and SCO

The 19th council of heads of government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will be hosted by India later this year. This would be the first high-level meeting of the SCO that would be organised here since India’s admission to the eight-member grouping.

Significance for India

• Historical Significance: India has always been seen as a benign (friendly) territory to countries that formed part of the erstwhile USSR. India since the past has invested in these countries, but due to lack of accessibility, India’s connection to these countries was restricted. Also, these countries have apprehensions regarding the growing dominating role of Russia and China. Hence, in light of these developments, India can play a key role in the region.
• Diplomatic Ties: SCO provides a platform to exchange ideas with world leaders like Russia. Hence, India looks for positive engagement with the member nations of this organization.
• Military: SCO’s joint military exercises, Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS is a structural institution that focuses on terrorism- a common threat affecting nations) inter alia, are significant to India. India can rally down the neighbouring countries acting as the hub of terrorism at these platforms. The main functions of SCO-RATS are coordination and information sharing. As a member nation, India has actively participated in its activities.
• Connectivity: Through this forum, India can seek another route to Eurasia and Central Asia via China (through its Xinjiang province).
• Economic Factor: Through this platform, new markets could be explored by India for selling Indian goods and tapping foreign resources, thereby benefiting the Indian industries (which are already facing the brunt of economic slowdown).

– Sindhoora Shetty