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OP-ED JULY 26, 2024 | The Indian Eye 14

Shanghai Cooperation Organization:

An Alliance with Limits

Prime Minister Narendra Mo-
DANISH YOUSUF
di’s absence from the summit, send-
ing Foreign Minister Jaishankar in-
he Shanghai Cooperation Or- stead, raises questions about India’s
ganization (hereafter SCO)
THeads of State Council (HSC) stance within the SCO. Observers
suggest Modi’s decision may signal
meeting was convened on July 3 and an effort to distance India from the
4, 2024, in Astana, Kazakhstan. The organization amid escalating geopo-
summit approved 25 documents, in- litical tensions.
cluding the Astana Declaration, the
Despite this, the foreign minis-
Initiative on World Unity for Just ters of China and India held cordial
Peace, Harmony and Development discussions, focusing on managing
and addressing illicit drug trafficking, border issues and resuming normal
resulting in a five-year “Anti-Drug exchanges. However, the underly-
Strategy”. Key leaders present at the ing competition for influence in the
summit included Russian President
Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Min- global South between India and Chi-
na remains a significant factor.
ister Shehbaz Sharif, and the Presi- There is a lack of coherence and
dents of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and cohesiveness within the SCO due to
Tajikistan. Hosting the event, Kazakh the power and authority imbalances
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev among its members. Despite ambi-
welcomed the delegates, while Chi- tious initiatives proposed when the
nese President Xi Jinping arrived in
Astana for a state visit and bilateral SCO was formed in 2001, such as es-
tablishing a free trade area, an SCO
meetings ahead of the SCO summit. Bank, and an SCO Energy Club,
India was represented by its External
these projects have not materialized.
Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar. This is partly because China tends to
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence from the summit, sending Foreign Minister Jaishan- pursue bilateral relations for specific
The primary objective of the kar instead, raises questions about India’s stance within the SCO (File/Agency photo) purposes. This disparity in approach
SCO at its inception was to highlights the need for significant
address regional security con- vestments and influence from China. comes difficult for countries to single reform within the SCO. The orga-
cerns, particularly issues re- In 2023, China surpassed Russia to out a particular member state due to nization’s inability to effectively im-
plement its initiatives and maintain
become the region’s largest foreign
the understanding that bilateral is-
lated to terrorism, separatism, investor and trade partner. China, in sues are not to be raised. Cross-bor- cohesion among its members under-
and extremism. This focus on particular, has leveraged its Belt and der terrorism primarily concerns In- mines its potential. To address these
security was complemented Road Initiative (BRI) to establish a dia and Pakistan, and India has had issues, the SCO must strive for great-
substantial economic footprint in the
later by an emphasis on foster- region. As of 2023, China has invest- to address it independently, such as er unity and cooperation, ensuring
through surgical strikes after the Uri
that all member states’ interests are
ing economic cooperation. ed over $50 billion in various projects terror attack and Balakot after the considered and that collective goals
across Central Asia, focusing on in- Pulwama attack. are pursued more effectively.
In the Astana Declaration, lead- frastructure, energy, and transporta- China’s dominance within the While China and Russia have
ers of the Member States declared tion networks. This dynamic creates SCO influences the organization’s common objectives in countering
that “a more just and multipolar an interesting interplay between the direction. Often, China prefers bi- Western influence, India’s strategic
world order is emerging.” The SCO two powers. Despite their declara- lateral relations for strategic projects, priorities are not always aligned with
is seen as promoting this multipo- tions of a “friendship without limits,” such as importing gas from Turkmen- this anti-Western stance.
lar world order, a deviation from its China and Russia are, in reality, both istan or oil from Kazakhstan, rather Given India’s developed bilater-
original mission, to counterbalance partners and competitors—frene- than through the SCO framework. al ties with Central Asian countries
Western-led hegemony, particularly mies, as some might say. This selective engagement limits through the India-Central Asia dia-
by the US and its allies. The Regional Anti-Terrorism the SCO’s effectiveness in achieving logue and NSA meetings, it would
However, while China and Rus- Structure (RATS), established in cohesive and unified actions. Some not be wise to abandon the group-
sia have strong common interests, 2002, operates similarly to other of the connectivity projects violate ing. Engaging with the SCO offers
particularly in opposing Western organizations by facilitating infor- sovereignty and territorial integri- a multilateral platform that comple-
influence, they also compete for in- mation exchange and cooperation. ty of India like the China-Pakistan ments India’s bilateral relationships
fluence in Central Asia. Central Asia RATS claims to have prevented hun- Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing and provides an avenue for address-
remains a critical region where the dreds of terrorist actions by sharing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. ing regional security concerns col-
interests of China and Russia con- information with member coun- While some SCO countries support lectively.
verge and clash. Historically domi- tries. However, when it comes to China’s Belt and Road Initiative This article first appeared in the web-
nated by Russia, the region is now cross-border terrorism, these issues (BRI), India opposes it due to sover- site (www.claws.in) of Centre for Land
witnessing increasing economic in- fall outside of RATS purview. It be- eignty issues. Ware, New Delhi, on July 15, 2024

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