The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a multilateral organisation established on June 15, 2001. It is a regional grouping of eight countries that aims to promote cooperation in various fields. India, which joined the SCO in 2017, hosted the SCO summit 2023 on July 4, 2023. The summit was virtually held and attended by the leaders of member countries—China, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Uzbekistan.
The theme of the summit was ‘SECURE-SCO,’ which stands for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
Apart from the leaders of the member countries, Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia were invited as Observer States. Turkmenistan was invited as the Chair’s guest, as per the SCO tradition. It is to be noted that Iran has officially been made a member nation of the SCO in this summit.
Key Takeaways from the Summit 2023
Three major issues were discussed at the summit.
- Cooperation in Digital Transformation
All member states recognised the role of digital transformation as a driver of global, inclusive, and sustainable growth and its importance in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
The member states expressed their intent to provide proactive, customised, and predictable public services to their citizens, with the goal of moving to a paperless interaction format and facilitating their participation in state programmes and projects through digital platforms, including participatory governance.
They highlighted the fact that the expanding number of Internet users and digital gadgets generates a substantial volume of data that requires comprehensive protection and analysis to estimate the population’s social and economic demands. A development method based on digital data analysis has the transformative potential to solve a wide variety of difficulties in all domains, including economics, health, and education.
- Countering Radicalisation leading to Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism
All member states recognised the fact that the spread of radical ideologies by terrorist groups and their sponsors has a negative impact on the minds and views of primarily young people. Such kind of propaganda promotes religious intolerance, aggressive nationalism, ethnic and racial discrimination, ideas of fascism and chauvinism among masses.
Stressing that terrorism should not be connected to any religion, civilisation, nationality, or ethnic group, all the member states vehemently denounced terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomsoever, wherever, and for whatever purpose.
The member states reiterated their commitment to implement the SCO 2022–24 Programme of Cooperation in Countering Terrorism, Extremism, and Separatism as well as national programmes to combat radicalisation. They recognised the systematic efforts of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) to combat radicalisation.
The member states acknowledged the role played by young people and women in preventing radicalism. By working together to obstruct and remove radical and terrorist content from the Internet, the member states sought to take the required legal action against the identified people and organisations in accordance with their local laws.
- New Delhi Declaration
The SCO is open to broad cooperation with other states and international organisations in accordance with the objectives and tenets of the UN Charter, SCO Charter, and international law, based on consideration of shared interests and cooperative strategies for resolving regional and global issues.
The member states emphasised the historical significance of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s admittance to the SCO as a full member state. They also emphasised the significance of the Republic of Belarus signing the Memorandum of Obligations to obtain the position of SCO member state.
The member states promoted peoples’ right to independent, democratic development paths, emphasising principles of sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, equality, mutual benefit, and non-interference. They emphasised peaceful dispute resolution through dialogue and consultations.
The leaders said: The SCO considers Central Asia as the core, and the nations in the region are working hard to assure prosperity, stability, sustainable development, and the creation of a space based on goodwill, mutual respect, and friendship.
The member states emphasised the inadmissibility of interfering in the internal affairs of states under the guise of combating terrorism and extremism, as well as the unacceptable use of terrorist, extremist, and radical groups for mercenary purposes.
The militarisation of information and communications technology (ICT) was emphatically opposed by the member states. They supported the creation of global laws, principles, and norms of responsible state behaviour in this area, and particularly welcomed the adoption of a comprehensive international treaty against the use of ICT for criminal purposes under the auspices of the UN.
The need of adopting international drug control treaties and other related legal regulatory instruments was emphasised to combat the trafficking of illicit narcotics and their precursors. All the members agreed to continue implementation of the SCO Anti-Drug Strategy for 2018–23 and Action Plan, emphasising the necessity of uniting forces in the fight against illicit drug trafficking and broad collaboration in this field.
The member states highlighted the importance of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons, as well as Their Destruction (BTWC) as a pillar of the global security architecture. They rejected the establishment of any procedures that duplicate BTWC functions, including those that fall under the purview of the UN Security Council.
The member states also called for the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) (prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons as well as their destruction) as an effective tool for disarmament and non-proliferation.
The member states reiterated their support for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and called for coordinated decisions to bridge divisions within the organisation, guarantee its integrity, and ensure that the Convention is effectively implemented.
They advocated for the establishment of an independent, impartial, united, democratic, and peaceful Afghanistan that is free of terrorism, war, and narcotics.
The member states agreed to declare 2024 as the SCO Year of Environment, recognising the importance of cooperation in the fields of environmental protection, ecological security, and the prevention of the negative consequences of climate change, as well as the development of specially protected nature reserves and eco-tourism.
The Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan reaffirmed their support for China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI), including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and the BRI. However, India declined to sign off, as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is part of the BRI, undermines India’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
India and SCO
India’s admission to the SCO in 2017 was a reaffirmation of the country’s desire to strengthen its long-standing relations with the region.
India hosted the first-ever SCO Young Scientists Conclave (2020), the first-ever Consortium of SCO Economic Think Tanks (2020), and the first-ever (virtual) SCO Startup Forum (2021). Varanasi, the SCO’s first tourism and cultural hub, has become a popular destination for a variety of activities.
The outcomes of the Republic of India’s presidency of the SCO in 2023 were highly valued by all the member states, as they led to the further development of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Way Forward
The world has witnessed substantial geopolitical shifts since India’s admission to the SCO. The globe was under an international financial crisis in 2008–09, but India and the West still considered China a viable partner. While the SCO is not a forum for bilateral issues, certain bilateral divergences, divisions, and disputes have always cast a shadow over the organisation.
India maintains close ties with Russia, Iran, and the Central Asian states. While tensions with Beijing and Islamabad are likely to be a concern, New Delhi must ensure that its connections with other SCO members, particularly those in Central Asia, benefit from this grouping in the upcoming summit under the Republic of Kazakhstan.
About SCO
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a nine-member multinational organisation consisting of China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran.
Structure of SCO
- The SCO’s highest decision-making body is the Council of Heads of State.
- The Council of Heads of Government is the organisation’s second-highest decision-making body.
- The SCO consists of two permanent bodies:
- The SCO Secretariat headquartered in Beijing China
- The Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan
The SCO Secretary-General and SCO RATS Executive Director are appointed for a three-year tenure. The official working languages of the SCO are Chinese and Russian.
Observer States and Dialogue Partners
- Mongolia (the first country to be granted observer status), Belarus, and Afghanistan are observer states.
- Currently Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Maldives, Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Myanmar are dialogue partners.
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