Skip to main content

Home
HOMEABOUT USEVENTSLIBRARYPUBLICATIONSMEMBERSHIPCONTACT USSEARCH
Research Centres
Join IDSA
IDSA News
Ask an Expert
Media Briefs
Authors
Topics
Video
Annual Conferences
- Asian Security Conference
- South Asia Conference
- West Asia Conference
Major Projects
- Indigenous
Historical Knowledge
- Pakistan Project
- Nuclear History Project
IDSA Community
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
Subscribe to IDSA Channel on YouTube
Subscribe to IDSA Updates
Email address

YOUTUBE

Subscribe

Jobs at IDSA
Sri Lanka as an Outreach Partner of the G-7: Issues and Concerns
Gulbin Sultana
July 01, 2016
India-Sri Lanka Relations
It appears that in order to earn the trust of China and the G7 countries, Sri La
nka has de-emphasised its relationship with India for the time being.
ISSUE BRIEF
India and SCO - Future Prospects
Ashok Sajjanhar
June 30, 2016
India and SCO - Future Prospects
SCO will need to assume responsibility for providing security in Afghanistan in
the aftermath of the withdrawal of ISAF forces.
IDSA COMMENT
Potential Defence Cooperation between Papua New Guinea and India
Sanjay Badri-Maharaj
June 28, 2016
Potential Defence Cooperation between Papua New Guinea and India
The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) is preparing to undergo a major expan
sion programme. India can assist in enhancing and developing PNGDF s capabilities
without coming into conflict or competition with the Australian interests.
IDSA COMMENT
Political Upheaval in Brazil

Gautam Sen
June 28, 2016
Political Upheaval in Brazil
An early and decisive conclusion to the political crisis in Brazil and also a fi
nality in the position of Rouseff vis-a-vis the presidency appear unlikely.
IDSA COMMENT
PSLV launches 20 Satellites in a Single Mission
Ajey Lele and Tushar Shrivastav
June 28, 2016
PSLV launches 20 Satellites in a Single Mission
For India, at this point in time, ISRO developing expertise with multiple launch
technology is more important from the commercial perspective.
IDSA COMMENT
India's NSG Bid
The Way
Ashok Sajjanhar
June 27, 2016
India's NSG Bid The Way
Until the next plenary in
end of 2016, India should
those who have expressed

Forward
Forward
Switzerland in 2017 or the interim meeting before the
actively engage with all members and particularly with
doubts or raised queries, including China.

IDSA COMMENT
Stopping Illegal Migration from Bangladesh: Need for a Comprehensive Approach
Anand Kumar
June 24, 2016
Stopping Illegal Migration from Bangladesh
A comprehensive approach is needed to deal with the problem of illegal migration
from Bangladesh. All the affected states would have to adopt a uniform policy,
in the absence of which any amount of effort is bound to deliver only partial re
sults.
IDSA COMMENT
More Comments and Briefs [+]
CBW Magazine, Summer, January-June 2016
The Preparatory Committee Meeting for the Eight Review Conference scheduled in N
ovember 2016, was concluded in April. The follow up meeting will take place in A
ugust 2016. More details [+]
Publications
Books Journals Monographs News Digests
Indigenisation: Key to Self-Sufficiency and Strategic Capability
Geopolit
ical Shifts in West Asia: Trends and Implications
Role of Technology In In
ternational Affairs
More [+]
Op-eds and Articles
Rumblings in Kazakhstan: A Warning for Central Asia? by Rajorshi Roy
June 23, 2016
India Has More Hoops to Jump for SCO Membership by P. Stobdan
June 23, 2016
ISIS: Implications for Iraq s Security and Stability by Manpreet Sohanpal
June 12, 2016
Hope floats for India by Uttam Kumar Sinha
June 12, 2016
More [+]
Copyright 2005 - 2016 IDSA. All rights reserved.
Tenders RTI Resources Important Links Terms of Use Disclaimer

Skip to main content

Home
HOMEABOUT USEVENTSLIBRARYPUBLICATIONSMEMBERSHIPCONTACT USSEARCH
Research Centres
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
Subscribe to IDSA Channel on YouTube

YOUTUBE

Jobs at IDSA
You are here
Home Publications IDSA Comment
IDSA COMMENT
India and SCO - Future Prospects
Ashok Sajjanhar
June 30, 2016
The ball for the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was se
t rolling at its Summit in Ufa, Russia, in July 2015, with the acceptance of app
lications by India and Pakistan. The process was taken forward at the recent Sum
mit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 23-24 June, with the two countries signing the SC
O s ''Memorandum of Obligations''. Over the coming year India will sign around 30
documents, and join as a full Member at the next Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan in
June 2017.
Since its establishment, the SCO has concluded several wide-ranging agreements o
n security, trade and investment, connectivity, energy, SCO Bank, culture, etc.
Their implementation has, however, remained uninspiring. This is partly because
SCO lacks coherence. Having been created at China s behest with Russian support, t
he SCO is still struggling to evolve as a well-knit entity. Nevertheless, its si
gnificance cannot be underestimated because it straddles large territorial, geopolitical, strategic and economic space and strength.
Challenges and Opportunities
India s membership in the SCO will add significant heft and muscle to the Organiza
tion particularly in the backdrop of the anaemic international economy. India is
the fastest expanding major global economy today, with annual GDP growth of 7.5
per cent. It represents the third largest economy (USD 8 trillion) in PPP terms
and the seventh largest (USD 2.3 trillion) in nominal dollar terms. It inspires
confidence on other indicators like FDI, inward remittances, savings rate, pace
of economic reforms, etc. Its large market, favourable demographics and technol
ogical prowess augur well for the other economies of the grouping. Its growing e
nergy demand promises an assured market to resource rich (oil, gas, uranium, coa
l) Central Asia and Russia.
SCO will need to assume responsibility for providing security in Afghanistan in
the aftermath of the withdrawal of US and NATO ISAF forces. India will be able t
o play its due role in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan which is assumin
g disturbing proportions due to the Taliban's increasing attacks.
Terrorism and radicalism are the most formidable challenges confronting the regi
on and international community today. India has been a victim of terrorist attac
ks for the last 30 years. Battling with terrorism has provided invaluable perspi
cacity to the Indian security establishment in intelligence gathering, training,
foiling terrorist operations, etc. The threat of terrorism to the SCO region is
particularly grave on account of continuing violence in Afghanistan, which can
embolden regional groups like the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Hizb-ut-Tahrir
, etc. to destabilize governments in Central Asia.

The scourge of radicalism also looms large over the region with the expanding in
fluence of the Islamic State (IS) and the reported desertion of several members
of the Taliban, Al Qaeda, etc. to join the IS ranks. Several hundred young men a
nd women have fled their homes in Central Asia to bolster IS forces that are spr
eading to Central Asia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
India can share its experience of handling the twin scourges of terrorism and ra
dicalism with SCO members to mutual benefit. India can also enhance its engageme
nt with the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent, Uzbekist
an.
Connectivity
Central Asia is part of India s extended neighbourhood. But India and Central Asia
n countries have failed to realize the immense potential in promoting security,
political, economic, trade, investment, energy ties because of the lack of commo
n land borders. Another reason is the lack of frequent visits at the highest lev
el to Central Asian States. SCO membership will provide a welcome opportunity fo
r Indian Prime Ministers to meet the Presidents of Central Asian States regularl
y and frequently. India s potential participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (
EEU) will add further value to the partnership.
To obviate the lack of direct land connectivity with Central Asia, and Pakistan s
refusal to provide access through its territory, India is actively collaborating
to develop the Iranian seaport of Chabahar with possible financial and technica
l support from Japan. The agreement to develop Chabahar and associated rail-netw
ork at a cost of USD 500 million was signed by Prime Minister Modi with the Pres
idents of Iran and Afghanistan during his recent visit to Iran. India has also p
rioritized the construction of the International North-South Transport Corridor.
Central Asia represents the near-abroad
for Russia. Both India and Russia can collab
orate for reciprocal benefit in several areas including agriculture, SMEs, pharm
aceuticals, IT, etc. India has demonstrated its determination to strengthen its
multi-faceted relations with Central Asia through Modi s historic visit to the fiv
e Central Asian Republics in July 2015. Several Agreements were signed. The Turk
menistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) gas pipeline whose construction co
mmenced in December 2015, is a bright example of a mutually beneficial project.
Conclusion
Some commentators have expressed concern that the induction of India and Pakista
n could shift the focus of SCO from Central Asia to South Asia and could disrupt
the SCO's smooth and consensual functioning through an emphasis on India-Pakist
an bilateral disputes. This appears highly unlikely. India's only objective is t
o engage with SCO members to promote peace, security, connectivity, energy trade
, people-to-people contacts and economic development in the region.
Some Chinese analysts opine that the membership of India and Pakistan will provi
de a role for the SCO to mediate in their disputes. The argument advanced is tha
t the SCO s predecessor, the Shanghai Five, was established to demarcate boundarie
s between its member states. It successfully achieved this. This appears to be w
ishful thinking. India has made it abundantly clear that there is no role for th
ird-party mediation in India-Pakistan conflict. A resolution is possible only wh
en Pakistan stops using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.
India s membership of the SCO is a win-win proposition for the Organization, for C
entral Asia, for Russia, for China as well as for India. Members will reap huge
benefits if they conduct themselves with responsibility.
Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of th
e IDSA or of the Government of India.

Keywords:
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Afghanistan
India
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
NATO at 60: A Reality Check
Talking to the Taliban: Will it Ensure 'Peace' in Afghanistan?
NATO in Afghanistan: Fault lines in the transatlantic alliance?
Saving Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Galloping Backward
India-Taiwan Relations in Asia and Beyond: The Future
India-Taiwan Relations in Asia and Beyond: The Future
Indian Defence Industry: An Agenda for Making in India
Indian Defence Industry: An Agenda for Making in India
Copyright 2005 - 2016 IDSA. All rights reserved.
Tenders RTI Resources Important Links Terms of Use Disclaimer