After years of gap, the Indian Foreign Minister landed on Pakistani soil to attend the 23rd meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) and that signifies the height of the event. The summit was held on 16 October in Islamabad, Pakistan. The two-day meeting discussed the bloc’s trade and economic agenda.
According to China’s national news outlet Global Times, the Pakistan SCO Summit was a “rare and commendable achievement”.
Leaders of participating member states signed and issued a joint communique, which stated the importance of development and collaboration amid escalating conflicts in the Middle East and rising external risks.
What is SCO?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), founded in 2001 by China and Russia as a counterweight to NATO, is an intergovernmental economic organization focused on non-interference. Unlike NATO, the SCO is not a political-military alliance.
The SCO includes 10 members: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus (joined July 2024).
It has two observers, Afghanistan and Mongolia, and dialogue partners like Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Israel, and Egypt. Its growing strategic importance is highlighted by membership applications from countries such as Bangladesh, Israel, and Iraq.
Key takeaways at the Pakistan regional meet
The geopolitical significance of the summit was highlighted by the Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar traveling from New Delhi to Islamabad to attend the meeting – the first ministerial visit in almost a decade.
It is notable here that earlier in July, another SCO summit of the Heads of State had taken place in Astana, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was absent. It is also noteworthy that President Xi did not attend the G20 Leaders’ Summit held in Delhi in September 2023.
However, the July meeting had displayed close engagement between Chinese and Russian leaders.
This was carried forward in the October Pakistan summit, attended by more than 1,200 foreign delegates, amid strict security arrangements.
Among the key attendees were Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and leaders from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. India was represented by Jaishankar, while Mongolia participated as an observer, represented by its Prime Minister.
Close cooperation and global concerns remained the top highlight of discussions.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who chaired the meeting, referred to the body as a “beacon of multilateralism” and expressed hope for “great results”.
Eight agreements were signed focusing on issues like SCO’s budget, operations, and regional counter-terrorism efforts.
In addition, the leaders recognized the need for enhanced cooperation in science, technology, digital economy, and information security.
The participants also emphasized the importance of collaboration in various sectors, including politics, security, trade, and investment, while supporting UN General Assembly resolutions promoting peace, harmony, and development. Several bilateral meetings also took place.
The Global Times reports, “While there are many regional organizations around the world, few, like the SCO, have consistently worked hard to maintain regional security and stability and promote the development and prosperity of member states.”
“The dynamic economic and trade cooperation among SCO countries is also becoming a stronger force for regional revitalization and even global development.”
In the first five months of 2024, the bilateral trade volume between China and other SCO member states reached $199.93 billion, a year-on-year increase of 4.6%, with multiple large-scale projects signed among member states.
Media Statement
Despite positive outlooks from China and other member states, some analysts remain skeptical about whether SCO Summits have produced meaningful outcomes that address the concerns of all its members. According to Eurasia Review, experts highlight that “Western alliances like NATO or the European Union offer members privileges such as mutual defense and economic integration,” something the SCO has yet to provide.
A report by The Diplomat noted that it is crucial for the SCO to remain relevant as a significant geopolitical organization in the future. To achieve this, the SCO must balance the “contradictory interests and worries of its diverse members.” The report emphasized that the organization’s success depends on its ability to negotiate, accept diversity, and ensure that all members are heard and treated respectfully.
Leaders’ Statements
India’s Foreign Minister at the Islamabad Summit
During the SCO summit in Islamabad, India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, made subtle references to Pakistan and China, addressing issues such as cross-border terrorism and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which India believes infringes on its territorial integrity. He underscored the three core challenges the SCO was founded to address: terrorism, separatism, and extremism. Additionally, Jaishankar highlighted the potential for expanded trade, energy flows, and connectivity within the SCO region, provided there is genuine cooperation among the member states.
For India, the SCO is crucial because of its emphasis on Central Asia—a region where New Delhi aims to strengthen ties but faces challenges in outreach.
Iran’s Role at the Summit
Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad-Reza Aref, was another prominent participant at the regional summit. Iran officially joined the SCO as a full member in July 2023, marking a significant step in its foreign policy. According to the Iranian Presidential Office, Aref engaged in discussions with several prime ministers and heads of delegations during the summit.
Tehran Times noted that Iran’s SCO membership is expected to contribute to its strategic interests, particularly in expanding economic and diplomatic ties amid ongoing sanctions. This membership also reinforces Iran’s role in regional affairs.
Russia’s Focus on Modi’s Participation at BRICS
While giving less attention to the SCO summit, particularly the Indo-Pak dynamics, Russia Today emphasized Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming participation in the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, from October 22-24. Modi’s attendance at BRICS marks his second visit to Russia this year. Russia Today highlighted that India, which has not joined sanctions against Russia, continues to strengthen ties, with both countries pledging to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.
Significance of Central Asia countries
Often remaining the under-reported contributors of SCO, the Central Asian countries are nonetheless a key reason why the SCO remains significant to regional geopolitics.
The Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, are important players in the SCO, being rich in natural resources and key to regional connectivity projects.
Therefore, the summit’s significance also lies in furthering discussions and initiatives to enhance Central Asian connectivity, trade, and economic collaboration.
These countries also have an interest in maintaining regional stability, as they face threats from terrorism and extremism. Their presence at the summit enhances using the platform to address these concerns and engage in discussions on regional security.
In addition, both observer countries, Mongolia and Turkmenistan add to the diversity of the bloc. It also underscores the importance of SCO as a significant platform for sub-regional engagement.
With several countries looking to expand SCO to a “SCO+” initiative, it is interesting to see what the future entails.
The recent accession of Russian ally Belarus to membership represents a push to transform the grouping and widen its focus from China’s peripheral security to a more diverse organization.
It poses the question of how SCO will evolve from a regional security framework to a powerful geopolitical entity, and whether SCO will preserve its geopolitical relevance while beefing up its geopolitical clout.
