Origin
- The SCO is a permanent, intergovernmental Eurasian organisation founded in 2001 in Shanghai.
- Grew out of the Shanghai Five (1996) – China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.
- SCO Charter adopted in 2002, in force from 2003.
- Operates on principles of sovereign equality, non-alignment, non-interference, and consensus.
Membership and Institutional Structure
Full Members
China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus.
Permanent Bodies
- SCO Secretariat – Beijing
- Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) – Tashkent
Main Organs
- Council of Heads of State
- Council of Heads of Government
- Council of Foreign Ministers
- Meetings of National Security Advisers
- SCO Business Council & Interbank Consortium (economic cooperation)
Objectives and Core Mandate
- Strengthen regional peace, security, and stability.
- Combat the “Three Evils”: terrorism, separatism, extremism.
- Promote cooperation in:
- Trade and investment
- Transport and connectivity
- Energy and minerals
- Agriculture, health, environment
- Encourage multipolarity and fair global governance.
Key Areas of Cooperation
Security
- Joint military and counter-terrorism exercises.
- Intelligence and information sharing via RATS.
- Cooperation on border management.
Economic and Energy Cooperation
- Infrastructure, regional value chains, and market integration.
- Dialogue on oil, gas, and broader energy connectivity.
Connectivity Initiatives
- Trans-Eurasian corridors.
- Links to projects like INSTC (India’s priority).
- India does not join BRI.
Cultural & People-to-People Cooperation
- Academic, cultural, youth exchange programmes.
- Sports, tourism, traditional medicine forums.
India’s Role and Interests in SCO
- Became a full member in 2017 (along with Pakistan).
- Uses SCO for:
- Counter-terrorism cooperation and participation in RATS.
- Advocating rules-based, sovereignty-respecting connectivity.
- Energy dialogues with Central Asian states.
- Expanding trade via INSTC and Chabahar-related discussions.
- Supports SCO’s goals but maintains independent positions on specific China-linked initiatives.
