Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO): India’s Strategic Priorities

GS Paper II – International Relations

Context

• 25th Anniversary: Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the annual SCO leaders’ meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, marking 25 years of the Eurasian grouping.
• West Asia Crisis: The SCO summit occurred amid the economic and strategic consequences of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, affecting energy security, trade and connectivity across the region.
• India’s Regional Engagement: India used the summit to strengthen engagement with Central Asian Republics and set priorities ahead of Pakistan assuming the SCO chairmanship.

India’s Key Objectives at the SCO

• Counter-Terrorism: PM Modi called for dismantling the ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens.
• Zero Double Standards: India stressed that the SCO should avoid “double standards” on terrorism.
• State Sponsorship of Terrorism: India called for a strong message against countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy and provide safe haven and support to terrorists.
• Cross-Border Terrorism: The Bishkek declaration’s reference to “all forms” of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, was significant for India.
• Strategic Signalling: The declaration provided diplomatic space for India to reiterate concerns regarding Pakistan without allowing bilateral tensions to dominate the entire SCO agenda.

SCO and West Asian Geopolitics

• Iran’s Position: The SCO declaration condemned U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and supported Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology under the NPT.
• Pakistan as Mediator: Pakistan’s emergence as a mediator between Iran and the U.S. adds a new diplomatic dimension to the SCO.
• Economic Security: U.S. tariffs, sanctions on Russia and conflict involving Iran have created pressures on the grouping’s economic and energy security.
• Connectivity Vulnerability: Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz underline the vulnerability of Eurasian connectivity and energy routes.

India–Central Asia Engagement

• Diplomatic Re-engagement: India’s engagement with Central Asian Republics has weakened due to competing strategic priorities; visits to Tashkent and Bishkek provide an opportunity to revive relations.
• Trade: India seeks greater economic engagement with Central Asian economies.
• Critical Minerals: Cooperation in critical minerals can strengthen India’s supply-chain resilience and strategic autonomy.
• Tourism: Tourism provides scope for greater people-to-people connectivity.
• Strategic Connectivity: Central Asia remains important for India’s wider Eurasian engagement despite geographical constraints.

SCO–BRICS Linkages

• Overlapping Membership: Several SCO members are also members of BRICS, creating opportunities for coordination across multilateral platforms.
• BRICS Summit: India’s hosting of BRICS in Delhi provides an additional platform for engagement with Russia, China and Iran.
• Consensus Building: India seeks a joint declaration at BRICS despite differences among members, including tensions involving Iran and the UAE.
• Strategic Autonomy: Simultaneous engagement through SCO and BRICS enables India to maintain dialogue with multiple geopolitical blocs.

Pakistan’s SCO Chairmanship: Implications for India

• Counter-Terrorism Agenda: India will seek to ensure that the SCO’s commitment against terrorism is translated into concrete action.
• Avoiding Bilateralisation: India must prevent the SCO from becoming dominated by India-Pakistan tensions.
• Diplomatic Vigilance: Pakistan’s growing diplomatic engagement with the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Türkiye requires India to broaden its own regional outreach.
• Multilateral Engagement: India needs to remain actively engaged with all major regional organisations rather than depending on a single multilateral platform.

Major Challenges Before SCO

• Geopolitical Polarisation: Divergent interests among China, Russia, India, Iran, Pakistan and Central Asian states can restrict consensus.
• Terrorism: Differences over the definition, sources and state sponsorship of terrorism can weaken collective action.
• Economic Fragmentation: Sanctions, tariffs and geopolitical conflicts threaten regional economic integration.
• Energy Insecurity: Instability around major energy routes can affect several SCO members.
• Connectivity Disruptions: Conflict and geopolitical rivalry can undermine transport and trade corridors.
• Internal Contradictions: Tensions among SCO members can make it difficult to convert declarations into effective collective action.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Counter-Terrorism Cooperation: SCO mechanisms should focus on intelligence-sharing, counter-terror financing, preventing radicalisation and dismantling terrorist safe havens.
• Reject Double Standards: Terrorism should be addressed through a consistent principle irrespective of the identity of perpetrators or their sponsors.
• Revive India–Central Asia Ties: India should prioritise trade, investment, critical minerals, tourism, connectivity and cultural exchanges.
• Protect Energy Security: Greater diversification of energy suppliers and routes is necessary to reduce vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions.
• Promote Connectivity: India should support secure, reliable and economically viable Eurasian connectivity projects.
• Maintain Strategic Autonomy: India should continue engaging simultaneously with SCO, BRICS and other regional and global institutions.
• Focus on Common Interests: Despite geopolitical differences, SCO cooperation can advance through areas such as counter-terrorism, energy, connectivity, climate and economic cooperation.
• Convert Declarations into Action: The credibility of the SCO depends on implementation rather than merely strong language in summit declarations.

Conclusion

The Bishkek summit demonstrates that the SCO remains strategically relevant but increasingly constrained by geopolitical contradictions. For India, the organisation is not merely a security forum but an important platform for engagement with Central Asia, Russia, China and Iran.

India’s approach should therefore combine counter-terrorism diplomacy, Central Asian outreach, energy security, connectivity and strategic autonomy. In the emerging geopolitical order, New Delhi must broaden its engagement across regional multilateral organisations while ensuring that terrorism receives consistent and non-selective treatment.

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. “The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation remains strategically important for India despite growing geopolitical contradictions within the grouping.” Discuss. (250 words, 15 marks)