Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an intergovernmental Eurasian organisation established in 2001 to promote regional security, stability and cooperation. It coordinates action among sovereign states and is neither a supranational body nor a collective-defence alliance.

Core mandate under the SCO Charter

The SCO Charter mandates the organisation to strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good-neighbourliness among members, develop multidimensional cooperation, and maintain peace, security and stability. It also seeks to promote a democratic, fair and rational international political and economic order.

• The SCO coordinates action against the three evils of terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as transnational crime and illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and arms.
• It promotes cooperation in areas including trade, investment, transport, energy, environmental protection, science, education and culture.
• Its guiding principles include sovereign equality, respect for territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes and non-use or threat of force.

Membership and evolution

The SCO developed from the Shanghai Five process and was founded by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Its membership subsequently expanded across South Asia, West Asia and Eastern Europe.

• The SCO has 10 full members: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
• India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus in 2024.
• Observer states and dialogue partners enable wider engagement without full membership.

Institutions and relevance for India

The Council of Heads of State is the highest decision-making body, and decisions are generally taken by consensus. The permanent bodies are the Secretariat in Beijing and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.

• RATS facilitates cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• For India, the SCO provides a platform to engage Central Asia and major Eurasian powers on counter-terrorism, connectivity, economic cooperation and regional stability.