Mains Practice Questions

Approach:

• Introduce the answer by briefing about what SCO offers to India and highlight a recent event to set a context for issues related to it.
• Highlight India’s Strategic Goals Through the SCO
• Mention Challenges Posed by Bilateral Relations with China and Pakistan
• Delve into India’s Strategy for Managing These Challenges
• Conclude with a quote.

Introduction:

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) offers India an opportunity to advance its geopolitical goals in Central Asia, particularly in terms of counter-terrorism, regional security, and economic cooperation.

• However, India’s refusal to sign the 2025 SCO Defence Ministers' joint statement over terrorism highlights the challenges posed by China’s support to Pakistan within the SCO.

Body:

India’s Strategic Goals Through the SCO

• Counter-Terrorism Cooperation: India aims to combat cross-border terrorism, a primary threat posed by Pakistan. The SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) provides a platform to address such issues.
  • India has consistently pushed for strong action on terrorism within SCO forums, though Pakistan’s influence and China’s protective stance towards it undermine these efforts.
• Regional Connectivity: India seeks to enhance its connectivity with Central Asia through projects like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which can facilitate trade and improve access to Eurasian markets.
  • By fostering greater connectivity, India aims to integrate itself into regional economic networks, ensuring access to energy and resources crucial for its growth.
• Economic Cooperation and Energy Security: SCO offers India a platform to cooperate on energy resources and regional economic initiatives, which are crucial for India’s energy security.
  • India’s participation in SCO can allow greater access to energy resources from Central Asia, with countries like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan having significant energy reserves.
• Geostrategic Balance in Central Asia: India’s full membership in the SCO allows it to balance China’s growing influence in the region.
  • India seeks to engage with Central Asia and prevent it from becoming a Chinese sphere of influence by fostering relationships through SCO.
• Stabilizing Afghanistan: India has a vested interest in Afghanistan's stability, which is a key concern of the SCO, particularly after the US military drawdown.
  • As a full member, India can contribute to regional peace-building efforts in Afghanistan, ensuring that instability in the region doesn’t spill over into India.

Challenges Posed by Bilateral Relations with China and Pakistan

• China’s Dominance within the SCO: China has a disproportionate influence within the SCO, often overshadowing India’s objectives, especially in terms of strategic cooperation and decision-making.
  • China’s close relationship with Pakistan further complicates India’s ability to achieve its security goals within the forum.
• Pakistan’s Hostile Stance: Pakistan’s presence in the SCO, alongside India, raises challenges, particularly as it continues to promote its narrative on Kashmir and other contentious issues with India.
  • The consensus-based decision-making structure of the SCO makes it difficult for India to advance its interests when Pakistan’s objections can derail discussions.
• Regional Diplomatic Polarization: The differing priorities and interests between India, China, and Pakistan create a geopolitical divide within the SCO, making it hard for India to pursue cohesive regional strategies, especially in areas like counter-terrorism and connectivity.

India’s Strategy for Managing These Challenges

• Strategic Diplomacy and Assertiveness: India has taken an assertive stance when its core interests are threatened, as seen with the refusal to sign the joint statement at the 2025 SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting.
  • By prioritizing its anti-terrorism agenda, India sends a clear message that it will not compromise on its national security, even in multilateral forums.
• Selective Engagement: India focuses on areas where cooperation is most beneficial, such as economic development, energy security, and counter-terrorism efforts.
  • Despite the challenges, India remains actively engaged in the SCO's efforts to address regional security threats, particularly in Central Asia, where its interests align with some SCO members.
• Balancing Relationships with Major Powers: India is not reliant solely on the SCO but continues to engage with other important regional and global players, including the US, UK and Israel, to further its strategic interests.
  • By maintaining strong bilateral ties with key nations, India ensures that its regional and global security goals are not solely dictated by the dynamics within the SCO.
• Strategic Autonomy: India’s approach to the SCO reflects its broader foreign policy doctrine of strategic autonomy, ensuring that it can navigate multilateral forums while safeguarding its national interests.
  • India remains firm in maintaining an independent foreign policy and avoids being dragged into any bloc politics within the SCO.
• Engagement with Alternative Multilateral Platforms: Recognizing the limitations of the SCO, India has increasingly turned to alternative forums, such as the India-Central Asia Summit, to pursue its regional objectives.
  • India’s decision to strengthen ties with smaller, more focused multilateral forums highlights its pragmatic approach to international diplomacy.

Conclusion:

"India’s diplomacy is grounded in pragmatism, driven by national interests, and guided by the pursuit of peace, security, and prosperity." As India navigates the complexities of its relations with China and Pakistan while reaping benefits from SCO, its foreign policy will remain shaped by the principle of “engagement with caution and cooperation with clarity.”