The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit is set to be held on July 3 and 4 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. India’s representation at this significant event will be led by Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to skip the meeting.
This organization was established in 2001 during a summit held in Shanghai by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. With the inclusion of India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, it has emerged as an important economic and security group. But what special information is there about this summit? And why is Prime Minister Modi not attending?
Known Facts About the Summit:
Kazakhstan’s Hosting: Kazakhstan, currently the chair of the group, is hosting this summit. The Indian delegation will be led by S. Jaishankar, who may meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during the summit.
India-China High-Level Meeting: If this meeting occurs, it will mark the first high-level interaction between Indian and Chinese officials since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third government took office. This potential meeting holds significant importance as it represents a crucial step towards addressing and potentially resolving ongoing tensions between the two nations, especially regarding border disputes.
Key Issues: This summit will examine anti-terrorism issues in the context of the rising influence of ISIS in Eurasia and increasing radicalism. Additionally, the leaders will discuss the situation in Afghanistan, the Ukraine conflict, and measures to promote security cooperation among SCO member countries.
India’s Priorities: India’s priorities in the SCO are inspired by Prime Minister Modi’s ‘SECURE’ SCO vision, which is based on security, economic cooperation, connectivity, unity, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and environmental protection.
Review of Activities: The summit will thoroughly review the organization’s initiatives and achievements over the past two decades, evaluating their impact on regional stability and development. It will also explore new avenues for multilateral cooperation, aiming to strengthen economic ties, enhance security collaboration, and address emerging challenges collectively among member states.
Reason for Prime Minister Modi’s Absence:
Clash with the First Parliamentary Session: According to official sources, the SCO dates clash with the first session of the Indian Parliament.
Previous Attendance: Prime Minister Modi has been attending SCO summits since 2015, even when India was not a full member yet. India joined the group to promote its interests in Central Asia, although China and Russia have significant influence in this group.
Relations with China: In recent years, there has been very little interaction between Modi and Xi Jinping during summits. It is evident that relations between the two countries have remained cold since the 2020 conflict in eastern Ladakh.
Relations with the USA: Attending SCO summits has helped India maintain a multi-alignment stance while rapidly growing its relations with the USA.
India and China have held 21 rounds of corps commander-level talks since the 2020 conflict in eastern Ladakh, but they have made no significant progress. Preparations for the next meeting are ongoing.
India’s Relationship with the SCO:
Initial Membership: India began its relationship with the SCO as an observer country in 2005 and became a full member state at the Astana summit in 2017.
Security Cooperation: India has shown interest in deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). Pakistan also became a permanent member in 2017.
Conclusion:
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit discusses various regional and international issues as a significant event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s absence and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar’s participation make this summit even more important. It will be interesting to see what decisions they make during the summit and how India’s role emerges.
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