Dr. Syeda Bushra Batool
The 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO members was convened successfully in Islamabad, Pakistan in the month of October. As the theme suggests ‘Strengthening multilateral dialogue for sustainable peace and prosperity,’ the meeting was aimed to enhance collaboration in an increasingly multipolar and turbulent world, addressing a number of issues of mutual concern. Regional security, counter-terrorism, improving security, Fostering connectivity networks, trade, investment, and economic opportunities, and climate change were the key areas of discussion.
The SCO was originally formed in 1996, known then as the Shanghai Five, before officially adopting its current name in 2001. The organization was created to discuss security concerns in Central Asia and the wider region, and over the past two decades, the SCO’s mission has significantly expanded. Beyond just border disputes and combating the ‘three evils’ Â terrorism, extremism, and separatism, but has also incorporated economic, scientific, and cultural cooperation.
The government of Pakistan ensured all measures to ensure the security of all the delegates, approximately 900, and deployed about 10,000 paramilitary personnel. This was indeed a great opportunity for Pakistan to host, for the first time, a high-level SCO meeting. Pakistan Assumed the Chair of the Council of Heads of Government of SCO from 2023-24 and successfully organized this event, which even the Indian Minister of External Affairs, appreciated. This SCO summit took place at such a time when the world is experiencing a number of socio-political and security issues. Amid increasing tensions between the US and China and the ongoing Ukraine conflict grabbing international attention, the SCO summit allowed member countries to address these issues and seek ways to uphold peace and stability in the area. The SCO plays a crucial role in allowing Eurasian nations to determine their own course toward lasting peace and prosperity by counterbalancing Western-dominated institutions like NATO.
The Heads of Delegation emphasized the importance of Member States supporting the right of peoples to freely choose their political, social, and economic development, highlighting that mutual respect for sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, as well as principles like equality and non-interference in internal affairs, are crucial for sustainable international relations.
The visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang received a special protocol, which was received by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif himself, signalling special relations with China. His visit was meant to be bilateral as well as multilateral, at the same time he was accompanied by senior Chinese officials. Li’s visit is the first by a Chinese premier to Pakistan in 11 years. Prime Minister of Pakistan’s office said that he and Li discussed economic and trade ties and cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a $65 billion investment in the South Asian country under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative. Li also inaugurated the CPEC-funded Gwadar International Airport in the southwestern province of Balochistan, which borders Afghanistan and Iran.
In his introductory speech, Sharif strongly favored China’s interests, mirroring the enduring friendship between China and Pakistan. The evident shift in dynamics occurred. Once dominated by Russia and China, SCO’s power dynamics have shifted as Russia’s conflict in Ukraine allows China to gain more influence within the organization. The SCO serves as a vital platform for China to promote the Global Security Initiative (GSI). President Xi Jinping presented the GSI at the SCO summit in Samarkand in September 2022, receiving support from multiple Central Asian countries. This action signifies a deliberate increase in China’s security control in Central Asia, a region historically dominated by Russia. China is also demonstrating significant interest in the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). Although the Belt and Road Initiative is still China’s main project, Beijing is now more interested in INSTC, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, and India, among other countries.
While not directly participating, China acknowledges the corridor’s potential to boost its influence in Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Perhaps, this is another attempt, in addition to BRI, to revive the traditional silk route which, during ancient times, was used by Chinese civilization to reach up to the Roman Empire crossing Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean Sea in its way.
Afghanistan is an important country in the regional socio-political and security equation but was not a participant in the meeting. Reports indicate that Afghanistan was not invited from the bloc’s Secretariat since the Taliban-led administration in Afghanistan has not acknowledged many provisions of the SCO-Afghan agreement. The country’s membership in the SCO has been inactive since September 2021; the country has been a point of discussion. The country became an SCO observer on June 7, 2012, but has not engaged actively since its membership was rendered. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s arrival at the SCO summit signifies the importance of this platform, marking the first time an Indian foreign minister has travelled to Pakistan since 2015. Although Jaishankar did have an informal interaction with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, India’s participation in the SCO summit remained strictly focused on multilateral concerns, avoiding any bilateral discussions with Pakistan, as against the wishes of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and many Pakistani business leaders.
Neither there were acrimonious exchanges between the two sides nor were there any references to Kashmir or India’s revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy. These positions are fundamentally irreconcilable. Jaishankar’s trip was intended to signal India’s commitment to the SCO, not to strengthen ties with Islamabad. Addressing the challenges of achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), however, Jaishankar underscored the burden of debt as a serious concern.
He referred to Article 1 of the SCO Charter, which emphasizes strengthening mutual trust, promoting friendship, and fostering good neighborly relations. Stressing the importance of honest dialogue, he remarked, ‘If there is a lack of trust and cooperation, it is essential to address those issues.’ Another reason for India’s interest in the SCO forum is the opportunity to engage with Central Asia, a region where New Delhi is keen to ramp up ties but faces an inherent constraint with its outreach. India lacks direct land access to Central Asia because Pakistan itself looking to expand ties there denies it transit trade rights. This elevates the importance of any opportunity for Indian high-level engagement with the region. Over the past decade, India has enhanced its strategic and economic relationships with the United States, Japan, and Western Europe. He played a major role in presenting India as a representative of the Global South, pushing for extensive changes in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to give more voice to developing countries. As China increases its influence, Russia is using the SCO platform to show the West that efforts to isolate Moscow diplomatically have not worked.
Although some narratives suggest that Russia is worried about China’s increasing influence in Central Asia, Russian officials have not openly shown any concerns about Beijing’s actions. Instead, Russia takes a neutral stance by backing Chinese projects while implementing monitoring measures. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin showed his support during the summit by suggesting the establishment of a standalone payment system within the SCO to guarantee steady business conditions.
This proposal is in line with China’s attempts to decrease dependence on the U.S. dollar. Nevertheless, India’s resistance to such suggestions demonstrates the presence of checks and balances. India’s reluctance to the de-dollarization, as seen in the SCO as well as during the BRICS summit in the following days, is very obvious. The move to de-dollarize the world economy makes some BRICS members uncomfortable notably Brazil and India who do not want their rapidly expanding club to become solely pro-Chinese and anti-western.
In conclusion, the 23rd meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government highlighted the organization’s evolving dynamics, with China’s growing influence filling the void left by Russia’s preoccupation with Ukraine during the summit, Pakistan’s support for China’s strategic objectives, especially concerning Afghanistan and trade routes, was apparent. Yet, there are doubts about the SCO’s capacity to promote real multilateral collaboration, particularly given India’s restrained involvement in its extensive objectives.
The author is a Research Officer at Rabita Forum International (RFI).
