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Posted 05 Jul 2024

2 min read

Key outcomes of the summit

  • Belarus becomes 10th Member to join SCO.
  • Adopted Astana Declaration, Cooperation Program to Counter Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism for 2025-2027, Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024−2029, SCO Development Strategy until 2035.
    • Under Astana Declaration, member states underscored SCO’s role in bolstering global peace, and shaping a new democratic and economic order.
  • Approved Economic Development Strategy’s Action Plan until 2030 and strategies for energy cooperation till 2030.
  • SCO member states endorsed the Initiative ‘On World Unity for a Just Peace, Harmony and Development’ (proposed by Kazakhstan), which aims to create multipolar world order with central coordinating role of UN.

Importance of SCO for India

  • Resources: Help India in pursuing Connect Central Asia policy and access mineral resources (Uranium reserves in Kazakhstan).
  • Counter-terrorism: SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) provides access to key information and intelligence on movements of terrorists and drug-trafficking.
  • Energy Security: Region is home to 4% of world’s natural gas reserves and approximately 3% of oil reserves. SCO could also facilitate TAPI pipeline.

Challenges for India in SCO

  • Continued perception of SCO being an anti-west forum in Western nations.
  • Conflict among member nations e.g. India-Pakistan. 
  • Limited engagement with observer states, dialogue partners and other regional and international organizations.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (HQ: Beijing, China)

  • Genesis: It is a permanent intergovernmental international organization founded in Shanghai in 2001 by Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
  • Current Members: India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and Belarus. While Afghanistan and Mongolia have observer status.
  • Official language: Russian and Chinese.
  • Goal: Strengthening mutual trust, friendship and neighbourly relations among member states; Promoting effective cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, and cultural spheres etc.
  • Tags :
  • Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
  • Astana Declaration
  • Connect Central Asia policy
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