The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organization. It’s rooted in Eurasian political, economic, and military ideals, all aimed at maintaining peace, security, and stability within the region. Founded in 2001, the SCO Charter was signed in 2002, entering into force in 2003. Previously, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan were part of the Shanghai Five, an entity born out of border demarcation and demilitarization discussions with China. With Uzbekistan joining in 2001, the group rebranded to become the SCO. Later, India and Pakistan became members in 2017.
The main objectives include fostering mutual trust and neighborliness among member states and catalyzing effective cooperation in domains like politics, trade & economy, research & technology, and culture. The organization also aims to ensure peace, regional security, and stability while working towards establishing a democratic, fair, and rational new international political & economic order.
Member States and Structure
Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan are current members. The SCO’s structure involves several entities; the supreme body is the Heads of State Council that determines internal functioning, interaction with other states & international organisations and considers international issues. There’s also the Heads of Government Council, which approves the budget and decides on economic interaction spheres. The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs handles daily activities, and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) combats terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Furthermore, the Beijing-based SCO Secretariat offers informational, analytical & organisational support. Russian and Chinese are the official working languages.
Varanasi: The First “Tourism and Cultural Capital” for 2022-23
As part of a new initiative to promote people-to-people contacts and tourism, Varanasi was selected as the SCO region’s first “Tourism and Cultural Capital” for 2022-23. This title is conferred annually to a city with significant cultural heritage from the member country that takes over the rotating Presidency of the organization. The initiative will kick off following the Samarkand summit, post which India will assume the Presidency.
The SCO Summit 2022 and Expansion Plans
The forthcoming SCO Summit in September 2022 will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. During this event, Iran and Belarus are likely to be the two newest additions to the SCO. The organization’s expanding influence and wide acceptance of its charter principles have led China and Russia to position it as a Western counter, especially against NATO’s expansion. However, analysts highlight the stark contrasts between SCO and NATO. Unlike NATO, which originated in Cold War thought and survives by creating new enemies, the SCO is a non-aligned, cooperative organization not targeting a third party.
India’s Role in SCO
Since its inception, the SCO has encouraged members to use the platform to discuss differences with other members. It was during the Moscow conference in 2020 on the sidelines of such a meeting where the Indian Foreign Minister worked out a five-point agreement with his Chinese counterpart. India’s association with the SCO links with its strategic autonomy and multi-alignment foreign policy principles.
