Neighbours Out to Marginalise India in SCO

Context: India’s decision to stay engaged with the Chinese-led Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) came under intense scrutiny amid changing US-China relation.

Significance of The SCO for India:

• Building mutual trust: by promoting good neighbourliness over a beggar-thy-neighbour approach, mutually beneficial cooperation over a zero-sum game, and multilateralism over unilateralism.
  • It isn’t an alliance but acts as the ‘Shanghai Spirit’ adhering to mutual respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity of States, among others.
• Enhancing connectivity and cooperation: in India’s fight against terrorism and reaching out to Eurasia.
• Balancing India’s ties with the United States: while simultaneously keeping China’s regional ambitions in check.

Factors Promoting Disengagement of India from SCO

• China remains the agenda setter: While Russia initially brought India into the SCO to water down China’s influence, it seems Russia is now not finding it easy to counter Chinese moves.
• Failed regional security: from cross border terrorism (Pakistan-sponsored) even after participation in the Regional Anti-Terror Structure (RATS) and military drills.
  • SCO’s focuses more on thwarting flow of terrorists from Afghanistan into Central Asia and China.
• Low Trade Prospects: India’s trade ($100 billion) with SCO is less than that of China (90%).
• Impact on India’s sovereignty: For e.g. it promotes Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)-related projects that violate India’s sovereignty.
• Promotion of anti-India agenda: Pakistan is using the forum to advance its agendas, i.e. Afghanistan, Kashmir and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
  • Pakistan brought United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Kashmir to the SCO agenda and displayed a map claiming disputed parts of Kashmir.

Conclusion: SCO may prove to be a zone of convergence for resolving disputes and differences between India and China through mutual dialogues and summits.