By Col (Dr) Shantonu Roy
Introduction
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, or Shanghai Pact, an Eurasian political, economic, international security and defence organization established by China and Russia in 2001. The SCO expanded significantly when India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017 — fundamentally altering the organisation’s strategic character.
India’s Strategic Calculus
India’s decision to join the SCO was driven by a carefully calibrated assessment of strategic interests. The SCO provided a unique multilateral platform for engagement with Central Asian states — a region India had historically struggled to access. India’s Chabahar port project in Iran is a key node in the connectivity architecture that complements SCO membership.
Challenges and Contradictions
India’s participation in the SCO is not without its contradictions. The organisation is increasingly perceived as a China-Russia led grouping sceptical of Western-led multilateralism. India, as a member of the Quad and a strategic partner of the United States, finds itself in an uncomfortable position within this framework.
Conclusion
India’s engagement with the SCO reflects its broader strategic doctrine of multi-alignment — the pursuit of relationships with multiple power centres without formal alliance commitments.