Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China (hosting for the 5th time). Theme of the summit is “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move”. The meeting comes amid gradual improvement in bilateral engagement after recent disengagement along the India-China border.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
- Nature: Regional intergovernmental organisation for political, economic, and security cooperation.
- Established: 2001 (Shanghai), evolved from the Shanghai Five (1996).
- Headquarters: Beijing, China.
- Membership:
- Permanent Members (8): China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
- Observers: Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia, Iran (progressing to full membership).
- Dialogue Partners: Turkey, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, etc.
Objectives:
- Promote regional peace and stability.
- Cooperate against terrorism, extremism, and separatism.
- Strengthen trade, energy, and connectivity.
- Encourage cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
- Uphold multipolarity and non-interference in internal affairs.
Major Initiatives:
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): HQ – Tashkent.
- Proposal for an SCO Development Bank.
- Initiatives in energy security, transport corridors, agriculture, digital economy.
- Peace Mission series of annual joint military exercises.
2025 SCO Summit
- Host: China (hosting for the 5th time).
- Theme: “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move”.
- Focus Areas:
- Adoption of a 10-year development strategy (2025–2035).
- Review of 25 years of SCO achievements.
- Deepening counter-terrorism cooperation.
- Expanding trade, connectivity, and energy projects.
- Push for sustainable development and climate action.
- Participation: 20+ world leaders, 10 international organisations.
- India’s Role:
- Advocate regional connectivity (Chabahar, INSTC).
- Push for anti-terror collaboration.
- Engage in energy and sustainable growth projects.
- Balance relations with China, Russia, and Central Asia within SCO.
