📰 Why in News?

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Qingdao, China, from June 25 to 27 to attend the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting. This visit is important as it's his first trip to China since the 2020 Galwan clash between Indian and Chinese forces and the launch of Operation Sindoor by India.
• At the same time, the 24th Summit of the SCO Heads of State was held in Astana, Kazakhstan, where the Astana Declaration was adopted. The summit emphasized peace, regional unity, and strengthening multilateral cooperation.

🌐 What is the SCO?

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a regional alliance that focuses on security, political, and economic cooperation. It was originally formed to address border security issues but has now expanded into a major multilateral platform.
• The SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by six countries: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
• The group promotes the Shanghai Spirit, which means trust, equality, and respect among countries, even with cultural or political differences.
• The official languages of the organization are Chinese and Russian, reflecting the strong influence of both nations in the group.

🎯 Main Objectives of SCO

• The SCO is not just a political club—it has clear goals to support its members and create a more balanced world.
• Strengthen ties among member states through regular summits and discussions on common interests.
• Promote cooperation in security, trade, science, culture, education, and infrastructure projects like roads and energy pipelines.
• Fight against terrorism, extremism, and separatism, especially in Central Asia, through joint strategies and intelligence sharing.
• Create a more democratic global order, which is less influenced by Western powers and more focused on regional needs.

🧱 Structure and Bodies of SCO

• The SCO has a clear organizational system to manage such a large and diverse group of countries.
• The Council of Heads of State is the top decision-making body that sets the organization’s overall direction.
• The Council of Heads of Government focuses on economic planning and development strategies among members.
• The Secretariat, located in Beijing, handles day-to-day operations and ensures coordination between member states.
• The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), based in Tashkent, deals with all terrorism-related matters by collecting data and planning joint operations.

🌍 Membership and Expansion

• SCO is constantly growing, expanding its global presence and influence.
• From the original six members, the SCO now has 10 full members, including India (joined in 2017), Pakistan, Iran (2023), and Belarus (2024).
• It also includes 3 observer states (Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia before 2024) and 6 dialogue partners, including countries like Turkey, Nepal, and Saudi Arabia.
• This expansion helps the SCO cover 42% of the world population and about 23% of global GDP, giving it huge strategic weight.

🇮🇳 India’s Role in SCO

• India joined the SCO to boost its influence in Central Asia, promote connectivity, and fight terrorism more effectively.
• India has launched major initiatives like the SCO Startup Forum, Young Scientists Conclave, and special groups for traditional medicine and innovation.
• India uses the platform to balance China’s growing influence and deepen ties with Central Asian countries, especially to counter projects like China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• India often uses the SCO to raise concerns about Pakistan’s involvement in terrorism, highlighting the need for collective action.

⚔️ Security and Counter-Terrorism Focus

• One of SCO’s key missions is to keep the region safe from terrorism and illegal activities.
• RATS helps member states by sharing information, conducting joint drills, and monitoring terrorist threats.
• Exercises like "Peaceful Mission", hosted by countries like Russia, help improve military coordination and trust among the members.
• The SCO also works on anti-drug strategies, border control, and fighting organized crime, which are common threats to all members.

🧩 Challenges for India in SCO

• While the SCO offers many benefits, India also faces several tough challenges within the organization.
• India must balance ties with Russia and China, especially while being a member of the Quad, which is seen as an anti-China grouping.
• India has to deal with Pakistan’s presence in the SCO, which often blocks joint cooperation on terrorism issues due to political tensions.
• The low trade volume between India and Central Asia limits economic cooperation, especially when compared to China’s strong regional presence.
• India firmly opposes China’s BRI, while most other SCO members support it, creating friction on infrastructure matters.

🔭 Way Forward for India

• Despite challenges, India can still benefit immensely from its SCO membership by following a clear strategic approach.
• Use the SCO to connect with Central Asia, a region rich in energy resources and a vital partner for India’s long-term growth.
• Promote trade in local currencies to reduce dependence on the dollar and improve regional financial stability.
• Keep pushing for regional stability and peace, while maintaining India’s strategic autonomy in foreign policy.
• Focus on common threats like terrorism, drug trafficking, and cybersecurity where there is mutual interest among all members.

🧠 Conclusion

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is a powerful platform that gives India a voice in a changing world order. It allows India to work with powerful countries like Russia and China, engage with Central Asia, and push for its own interests in security, connectivity, and regional leadership. By balancing its values with diplomatic strategy, India can make SCO an effective tool for national and regional progress.