The Indian administration has emphasized the role of the SCO in maintaining regional stability, but not before bringing up concerns over actions by Pakistan and China that have led to hindrances in the achievement of its objectives.
In an address to the UN Security Council, R. Ravindra, charge d'affaires, India, referred indirectly to Pakistan and China over terrorism and territorial integrity. He told that there are countries which use terrorism as a part of their state policy. As a matter of fact, this can hamper the cooperation possible under any multilateral platform like SCO.
India referred to respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity as far as connectivity and infrastructure projects were concerned, clearly a veiled reference to Chinese initiatives in PoK.
Speaking at a Council meeting convened by Russia, he reiterated India's commitment towards building trust within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and strengthening partnerships based on equality, respect, and mutual understanding. He listed India's priorities in the grouping, covering issues on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of a 'SECURE' SCO: Security, Economic cooperation, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
He further said that he also called for complete implementation of Security Council resolutions and focused sanctions against terrorists and terror entities.
Referring to Astana SCO Summit, Mr. Ravindra said that in that declaration too there was a reference to countries that support and sponsor terrorists and tolerate their presence should be isolated. Participating virtually in the summit, Prime Minister Modi said that combating terrorism and extremism is essential for regional and global peace.
However, US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield criticized the SCO's approach to counter-terrorism at this gathering, accusing it of suppressing dissent and restricting human rights under the pretext of fighting terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
The SCO, to which India became a member in 2015, is a central Asia-centered organization with Russia, China, Pakistan, and a handful of Central Asian countries as its members. India brought out its strong civilizational links with Central Asia and a commitment to regional development through initiatives such as a $1 bln Line of Credit and HICDP.
India also highlighted its role in developing the Chabahar Port in Iran for increased connectivity with Afghanistan and Central Asia. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergey Vershinin, particularly praised the roles played by the SCO, CIS, and CSTO in reaching all the above-mentioned achievements on integration, prevention of conflicts, and counter-terrorism.
The Chinese Permanent Representative, Fu Cong, called terrorism, separatism, and extremism at different times global security threats and appealed for UN-SCO cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts.
On the one hand, there is undisputed importance that India attached to the SCO and its contributions for regional stability and development; on the other hand, there are disquietudes left with respect to the handling of sensitive issues like terrorism and human rights within the organization.
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