Pakistan has invited the Indian PM to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) scheduled meeting in Islamabad. The SCO’s Council of Heads of Government (CHG) will meet in person for two days on 15-16 October and discuss various issues relating to financial, economic, socio-cultural, and humanitarian cooperation. Pakistan currently holds the chairmanship of the SCO CHG.
About SCO
- Founded in 2001, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a powerful economic and security group that represents around 40% of the global population and 20% of the global GDP.
- Originally, Shanghai Five was established in 1996 with five members including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This group was formed to deal with the concerns relating to extremist religious groups and ethnic tensions that arose after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.
- After adding Uzbekistan, SCO was formed with six member countries. Currently, it has 10 members including China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
- Belarus is the newest member of the bloc, given full membership during the 24th SCO Summit held in Astana, Kazakhstan this year.
- Afghanistan and Mongolia are observer countries of the bloc. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Egypt, Nepal, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are associated with the SCO as dialogue partners.
- The main objective of the organisation is to promote cooperation in politics, trade & economics, science & technology, energy, tourism, transportation, culture, and environmental protection, among others.
- The secretariat of the SCO is situated in Beijing, China, where all the tasks are done in Russian and Chinese languages.
The main bodies of the SCO
- The Council of Heads of State: It’s the most powerful and the highest decision-making body that meets annually to decide overall strategies.
- The Council of Heads of Government: It’s the second most powerful body that meets annually to discuss subjects related to multilateral cooperation.
- The Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs: It’s the body of foreign ministers of the member countries who shape the foreign policy of the organisation.
- The Council of National Coordinators: It’s primarily responsible for organising SCO events and meetings.
- The Secretariat: It’s the main executive and administrative body which plays a key role in implementing the decisions of the SCO.
- The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): It coordinates and oversees the efforts and actions of members towards addressing the issues of terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
- The Business Council: Business communities of member countries represent this body. They meet and decide on a framework to promote economic cooperation and investment.
- The Interbank Consortium: Central banks of member countries represent this body and work to encourage financial cooperation among members.
SCO’s significance for India
- India is a growing economy. The economic cooperation promoted by the organisation can help India strengthen its economic ties with member countries and enable it to have access to markets, technology, and capital.
- The organisation’s dedicated efforts to combat terrorism are particularly beneficial for India which has been facing terrorism for a long time.
- The organisation gives India an opportunity to contribute to peace and prosperity in the region and solidify its reputation as a global leader.
- The bloc also gives India an opportunity to strengthen its ties with member countries while engaging in multilateral diplomacy.
