Forging consensus: On India and the SCO meeting

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) serves as a crucial platform for India's Eurasian strategy, allowing New Delhi to engage with Central Asian Republics (CARs) on issues like energy security, critical minerals, and trade connectivity. The inclusion of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the Chabahar Port development often intersect with SCO dialogues, providing India a land route to Central Asia bypassing Pakistan. However, the SCO's effectiveness is frequently challenged by its internal dynamics, particularly the dominance of the Sino-Russian axis and the inclusion of Pakistan, which often leads to strategic dissonance. India's objective within the SCO is to pursue a multi-aligned foreign policy, balancing its deepening ties with the West (like the Quad) with its necessary continental engagements in Eurasia. The Bishkek declaration's condemnation of the US/Israel attacks on Iran and support for Iran's nuclear rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) highlight the anti-Western undercurrents prevalent in the SCO, forcing India into a delicate balancing act to maintain its strategic autonomy while participating in a grouping where anti-Western sentiments are prominent. This summit also served as preparatory ground for the upcoming BRICS summit in Delhi, emphasizing the interconnectedness of these multilateral forums.

India utilizes the SCO, particularly its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), to underscore its concerns regarding cross-border terrorism. Prime Minister Modi's strong stance against countries that use "terrorism as an instrument of policy"—a clear reference to Pakistan—aims to build international pressure and consensus against state-sponsored terrorism. India consistently advocates for a comprehensive approach to dismantling terrorist ecosystems, including financing, safe havens, and radicalization networks, urging member states to eschew double standards. The inclusion of strong language condemning "all forms" of terrorism in the Bishkek declaration is a diplomatic win for New Delhi, reinforcing its long-standing position. From a UPSC perspective, understanding how India leverages multilateral forums like the SCO, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the United Nations (specifically pushing for the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT)) to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and shape global counter-terrorism norms is critical for GS Paper 3.

The editorial underscores the severe economic and strategic consequences of ongoing geopolitical conflicts, such as the US-Iran tensions and sanctions on Russia, on regional stability. The mention of the Hormuz Strait blockade highlights the vulnerability of global energy supply chains and connectivity. These conflicts contribute to geo-economic fragmentation, where trade and investment are increasingly dictated by geopolitical alignments rather than economic efficiency. For India, this altered geopolitical framing necessitates a broader engagement with various regional multilateral organizations to secure its interests. The article also notes Pakistan's diplomatic maneuvering, including its new security pacts with Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, and its engagement with the US, which alters the balance of power in South Asia. This requires India to continuously adapt its regional strategy, moving beyond bilateral engagements to utilize platforms like the SCO to manage regional security dynamics and prevent the formation of hostile alliances in its neighborhood. This situation exemplifies the concept of complex interdependence, where nations are intricately linked through economic and strategic ties, making isolationist policies unviable.