India’s initiatives in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have focused on economic issues, reflecting its desire to build economic cooperation with Central Asian states in order to improve its regional positioning and enhance multilateralism. The SCO can no doubt contribute to regional collaboration by adhering to the 4 Ms principle: members must embrace Mutual Respect, Mutual Interest, Mutual Sensitivity and Mutual Benefit in order for the group to emerge stronger and more relevant, writes Anil Trigunayat.
I clearly recall how in in 2001, when I was head of the Information and Press Wing at the Indian Embassy in Moscow, my friend, the deputy chief of Ria Novosti, called me to ask for my comments on Pakistan wanting to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). My instant reply was “Since the SCO aims to focus on security issues, including the fight against terrorism, if it wishes to admit Pakistan—a terror sponsoring state—I really have no comment.” It went viral. Russia supported India from the very beginning, but China’s caveat to also include Pakistan eventually resulted in both countries only becoming full members in June 2017, at the summit in Astana. Since then, India has become an active member and has also consistently participated in RATS (Regional Anti-terrorist Structure) proceedings. However, it has remained wary of the Pakistanis’ cross-border terrorism, that has not abated. Its worst face was seen during the Pahalgam terrorist attack, when 26 innocent tourists were slaughtered by Pakistan-based terrorists. India‘s tense relationship with China has further contributed to misgivings about the intent, intensity and purpose of the SCO itself. But New Delhi remains fully engaged and committed to its mission and importance as a non-Western institution, keeping with its policy of strategic autonomy and non-alignment.
India chaired the 19th Meeting of the SCO CHG (Council of Heads of Government) via videoconference on November 30, 2020. This was the first time that a summit-level meeting was held under India’s chairmanship, and the participants adopted a Joint Communique.
During the course of its chairmanship of the Council in 2020, India undertook many initiatives, in a wide range of areas. India hosted (virtually) a Preparatory Seminar on Startups forum on August 11, the first-ever meeting of the Consortium of Economic Think Tanks on August 21-22, a Seminar on the Role of Traditional Medicine in Achieving SDG-3 in SCO Countries on September 22, the SCO Business Conclave on November 23, the Young Scientists Conclave on November 24-28, and an Exhibition on Shared Buddhist Heritage on November 30. India also translated 10 classics of Indian regional literature into Russian and Chinese. The SCO member states participated enthusiastically in these events. In addition to the two Ministerial meetings – Justice and Foreign Trade and Economy – hosted by India before the CHG meeting, India also launched the first-ever SCO Startup Forum, and initiated proposals on establishing a Special Working Group on Innovation and Startups, and set up an Expert Working Group on Traditional Medicine.
India’s CHS presidency
India assumed the presidency of SCO CHS (the Council of Heads of State) on September 16, 2022 at the Summit in Samarkand and virtually hosted the SCO-CHS Summit on July 4, 2023. Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated India’s priorities as moving towards a ‘SECURE’ SCO – Security, Economic Development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as environmental protection. During the course of its Presidency of SCO in 2022-2023, India worked on a diverse range of themes to provide a new dynamism to the multifaceted cooperation and in many areas opened up new venues for cooperation in order to meaningfully enrich the SCO’s agenda. More than 130 institutional meetings/events were held under India’s chairmanship, including 14 ministerial-level meetings. India also directed the cooperation in SCO towards five new fields: Startups and Innovation, Traditional Medicine, Science and Technology, Youth Empowerment and Shared Buddhist Heritage. Varanasi as the 1st SCO Cultural and Tourism Capital for 2022-23 hosted several events with the active participation of the Member States.
India Reiterates its stance on key issues
As Kyrgyzstan will be hosting the next SCO Summit, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar attended the SCO-CHG meeting in November 2025, when he reiterated the need for transparency: all processes must be fair, transparent and equitable. Since People-to-People exchanges are the cornerstone of SCO collaboration, he reiterated that as a civilisational state, India strongly believes that people-to-people exchanges lie at the core of any genuine relationship. Facilitating greater interaction between our intellectuals, artists, athletes and cultural icons will pave the way for deeper understanding across the SCO. Furthermore, the key concern about honesty in dealing with terrorism was yet again highlighted: “we must never forget that the SCO was founded to combat the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism. These threats have become even more serious in the years that have passed. It is imperative that the world display zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. There can be no justification, no looking away, and no whitewashing. As India has demonstrated, we have the right to defend our people against terrorism and will exercise it.”
Prime Minister Modi was unequivocal at the 25th Summit on this issue, while appreciating the work done by RATS, where he said “We must state it clearly and in one voice: double standards on terrorism are unacceptable. Together, we must oppose terrorism in every form and manifestation. This is our responsibility towards humanity.” Thus, it is clear that New Delhi’s deep concern regarding the global challenge of terrorism and extremism, especially cross-border terrorism, with which it has been struggling for decades due to its western neighbour, is a defining feature of its engagement in the SCO, even as it continues to attach great importance to the other initiatives and priorities of this important organisation.
Yet another key point of concern has been the lack of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity among some member countries when they embark on connectivity initiatives, like BRI and CPEC, which impinge on India’s territorial integrity. Hence Prime Minister Modi, at Tianjin, underscored that “We believe that every effort towards connectivity must uphold the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is also enshrined in the core principles of the SCO Charter.” India’s initiatives in the SCO have focused on economic issues, reflecting its desire to build economic cooperation with Central Asian states in order to improve its regional positioning and enhance multilateralism.
Connectivity efforts that bypass concerns regarding sovereignty ultimately lose both trust and meaning. The SCO can no doubt contribute to regional collaboration by adhering to the 4 Ms principle: members must embrace Mutual Respect, Mutual Interest, Mutual Sensitivity and Mutual Benefit in order for the group to emerge stronger and more relevant. Copious and vague declarations year after year will not suffice.
