A SCO summit is currently taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, following a tumultuous period of Russia invading Ukraine and China posturing over Taiwan. This year, the summit will be the first to include leaders from Uzbekistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkmenistan, in addition to member and observer states. The SCO summit 2022 is being considered to be a historic one, as Uzbekistan wants to bring together all the big players in a wider partnership in this region.
It is also the first time since the SARS outbreak that the heads of SCO member states have met face to face. The SCO Summit holds equal importance for India as well because Uzbekistan wants India to play a bigger role in SCO. Uzbekistan is one of the key countries of the region of Central Asia. It is interested in bringing all big partners in a broader partnership in this region. In this regard, India is one of the key members of this organization which has great political and diplomatic possibilities as well as the economic and trade potential.
The SCO summit will have two sessions, one is the restricted session which is meant only for SCO member states and the other an extended session meant for the participation of observers and special invites of the chair country Uzbekistan.
What is SCO ?
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic and social platform for member countries formed on June 15, 2001. The current membership of SCO is eight and includes India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Iran.
The organisation is the largest regional organisation in terms of geographical scope and population, including 60% of the eurasian area, 40% of the world population and 10% of the total GDP.
It is further to be noted that, SCO is a successor of Shanghai Five which was a mutual security agreement formed in 1996 between People’s Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan. The SCO is governed by the Heads of State Council (HSC), its supreme decision-making body, which meets once a year.
India’s stand at the summit
India holds a crucial position in the organisation and keeping in view the recent altercations between India and China over border and disengagement policies, the talks between the two countries mean extreme importance to the ties of both the countries.
It is believed that numerous decisions will be made on mutual cooperation between the member countries in the area of trade, commerce, economy, culture and tourism. The bilateral ties of amiability and trust will be invested on a whole new basis.
As per the sources, there are almost 30 agreed documents which aim at strengthening the multifaceted interaction between SCO member countries and raising it to a new qualitative level.
The prime document to be made is the Samarkand Declaration which reflects the mutual approaches of the member countries to aid in solving regional and global problems and development of organisation.
Other documents which made mention are, Comprehensive Plan for the Implementation of Treaty on Long-term Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation; Concept of Cooperation on the Development of Interconnectivity and Creation of Efficient Transport Corridors; Program for Stimulating Industrial Cooperation and Regulations on the honorary title of Goodwill Ambassador of the SCO.
SCO Summit 2022 highlights
As for bilateral ties between Russia and Pakistan are concerned, Russia is probably supplying gas to Pakistan, as claimed by Russian media. Putin said, “The issue is about pipeline gas supplies from Russia to Pakistan, which is also possible, which means part of infrastructure has already been created, meaning Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. We have to solve the Afghan issue.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping travelled for the first time after the pandemic outbreak and Russian President Putin is all welcoming towards him. Putin also shares concern over the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s questions and concerns over the same.
Iran joined as the latest member of the SCO and Russian President Putin showered his greetings to the Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi on the same. The admission of Iran as an eighth member to the organisation marks a daunting progression of the business of the organisation.
