Indian Prime Minister’s Attendance at Recent SCO Meet: Key Highlights and Implications

                              Image Source- Google| Image By-PM India Photo Gallery

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization that focuses on political stabilization, economic cooperation, international security, and defense partnership. It currently has 9 members: China, India, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and the latest member, Iran. Afghanistan, Belarus, and Mongolia are observers.

The SCO became the she successor to the Shanghai Five, which was formed in 1996 between China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. On 15 June 2001, it became the SCO. ISCO governed by the Head of State Council, which is the supreme decision-making body of SCO.

What is the importance of the SCO in the world?

The SCO is the world’s largest regional organization, as its members possess 60% of the area of Europe and Asia (known as Eurasia). They also cover 40% of the world’s population and 20% of the world’s GDP. The presence of three major nations—China, Russia, and India—makes the organization more important on the world stage.

Why did India join the SCO?

In today’s world, China and India’s development has a significant impact on global politics. China is rapidly growing and challenging the USA’s hegemony as it continuously shifts the world order towards unipolarism. Meanwhile, India is focused on its development and infrastructure.

The relationship between China, India, and the SCO can be understood through the theory of competition, cooperation, or conflict.

Competition: India and China compete in many sectors. China is rapidly expanding its dominance globally through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and the Maritime Silk Road. They are the largest investors in African countries. There have been reports suggesting that the Indian private sector is more efficient and entrepreneurial than the Chinese private sector. However, despite this fact, India still lags behind the Chinese market significantly. Thus, the competition between China and India is not on equal footing.

Conflict: There have been numerous conflicts between China and India, particularly regarding border disputes. These conflicts affect the relationship between both countries. China has already occupied parts of Kashmir, and they still claim the Arunachal Pradesh Tawang Region.

Cooperation: Many people believe in the ‘CHINDIA’ theory, recognizing that if China and India come together, they would become a formidable force. Therefore, both countries should strive to cooperate and resolve their border conflicts to focus more on their respective developments.

Now, the question of why India joined the SCO can be answered. Russia and the Central Asian countries were already part of the SCO, and China had intentions of adding Pakistan to the organization. If India had not joined the SCO, it would have resulted in a different scenario, with all the major Asian nations forming a group without India. India wanted to maintain good relations with Russia and the Central Asian countries. Additionally, joining the SCO made it easier to cooperate with Pakistan and China, along with Russia. Hence, this was the reason behind India’s decision. India and Pakistan both joined the SCO on 9 June 2017.

                                         Image Source- Google| Image By-Indian express

Benefits of the SCO for India and how it can become a better organization:

Start-ups and Tech Market: India initiated the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign last year, focusing on Make in India and startup programs. India’s startup companies and tech markets are growing and developing. They can establish new linkages and foster innovation within the SCO.

Pharmaceutical Industries and Traditional Medicines: Traditional medicines are of common and significant interest to the regional organization. India is already striving to become a pharmaceutical hub. The SCO countries possess knowledge of traditional and ancient medicine, which can be developed collaboratively to find cures for.

 

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