Ahead of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit beginning today in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;said on Friday that he was excited to lead the Indian delegation for the grouping's first-ever meeting with the country as a full member.

Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Qingdao, where they will take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at the informal summit just over a month ago in Wuhan.

"I am excited to lead the Indian delegation for our first-ever meeting of the Council as a full member," Modi said in a Facebook post.

"On 9th and 10th June, I will be in Qingdao, China to take part in the annual SCO Summit. This will be India's first SCO Summit as a full member. Will be interacting with leaders of SCO nations and discussing a wide range of subjects with them," the prime minister tweeted.

Discussions in the summit will take place on diverse issues ranging from combating terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture, protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk and fostering people-to-people relations.

"In the last one year since India became a full member of the SCO, our interaction with the organisation and its member states has grown considerably in these areas. I believe that the Qingdao Summit will further enrich the SCO agenda, while heralding a new beginning for India's engagement with the SCO," he said.

Founded in 2001, the SCO currently comprises eight member states, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the SCO last year.

"India enjoys deep friendship and multi-dimensional ties with the member states of the SCO. On the sidelines of the SCO Summit, I will have the opportunity of meeting and sharing views with several other leaders, including the Heads of States of many SCO Member States," Modi said.&nbsp;

Founded in 2001, the SCO currently comprises eight member states, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the SCO last year

Ahead of the two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit beginning today in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that he was excited to lead the Indian delegation for the grouping's first-ever meeting with the country as a full member. Modi will also hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Qingdao, where they will take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at the informal summit just over a month ago in Wuhan. "I am excited to lead the Indian delegation for our first-ever meeting of the Council as a full member," Modi said in a Facebook post. "On 9th and 10th June, I will be in Qingdao, China to take part in the annual SCO Summit. This will be India's first SCO Summit as a full member. Will be interacting with leaders of SCO nations and discussing a wide range of subjects with them," the prime minister tweeted. Discussions in the summit will take place on diverse issues ranging from combating terrorism, separatism and extremism to promoting cooperation in connectivity, commerce, customs, law, health and agriculture, protecting the environment and mitigating disaster risk and fostering people-to-people relations. "In the last one year since India became a full member of the SCO, our interaction with the organisation and its member states has grown considerably in these areas. I believe that the Qingdao Summit will further enrich the SCO agenda, while heralding a new beginning for India's engagement with the SCO," he said. Founded in 2001, the SCO currently comprises eight member states, India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan were admitted to the SCO last year. "India enjoys deep friendship and multi-dimensional ties with the member states of the SCO. On the sidelines of the SCO Summit, I will have the opportunity of meeting and sharing views with several other leaders, including the Heads of States of many SCO Member States," Modi said.

Excited to lead delegation for India's first-ever SCO summit as a full member, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in China on Saturday&nbsp;on a two-day visit to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit where India is likely to pitch for concerted regional and global action against terror networks and favour effective connectivity links to boost trade.

India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping last year and New Delhi's entry into it is expected to increase the eight-member group's heft in regional geopolitics and trade negotiations besides giving it a pan-Asian hue.

Hours after his arrival in this central port city, Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping&nbsp;during which the two leaders are expected to explore ways to deepen ties in areas of trade and investment besides reviewing the overall bilateral cooperation.

The meeting is taking place weeks after the two leaders held an informal summit in central China's Wuhan city during which they exchanged views on solidifying the relationship between the two Asian powers.

In&nbsp;tomorrow's&nbsp;meeting, Modi and Xi are likely to take stock of the progress in the implementation of decisions they had taken at the informal summit.

About the SCO summit, officials said India will pitch for evolving effective ways to deal with the growing challenge of terrorism and enhancing security cooperation among SCO countries.

India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence.

India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year.&nbsp;

The officials said India is also likely to focus on the importance of regional connectivity projects to boost trade among members of the SCO countries.

India has been strongly pushing for connectivity projects like the Chabahar port project and International North-South Transport Corridor to gain access to resource-rich Central Asian countries.

Sources indicated that India's focus would be to include its concerns over cross-border terrorism in the final outcome document.

India has been raising the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in various multilateral forums with an aim to build pressure on Islamabad to dismantle the terror infrastructure operating from that country.

Modi is expected to hold nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries. However, there is no official word on whether there will be any interaction between Modi and Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, who is scheduled to attend the meeting in China.

Modi and Xi are likely to take stock of the progress in the implementation of decisions they had taken at the informal summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in China on Saturday on a two-day visit to attend the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit where India is likely to pitch for concerted regional and global action against terror networks and favour effective connectivity links to boost trade. India became a full member of the China-dominated grouping last year and New Delhi's entry into it is expected to increase the eight-member group's heft in regional geopolitics and trade negotiations besides giving it a pan-Asian hue. Hours after his arrival in this central port city, Modi is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during which the two leaders are expected to explore ways to deepen ties in areas of trade and investment besides reviewing the overall bilateral cooperation. The meeting is taking place weeks after the two leaders held an informal summit in central China's Wuhan city during which they exchanged views on solidifying the relationship between the two Asian powers. In tomorrow's meeting, Modi and Xi are likely to take stock of the progress in the implementation of decisions they had taken at the informal summit. About the SCO summit, officials said India will pitch for evolving effective ways to deal with the growing challenge of terrorism and enhancing security cooperation among SCO countries. India is also keen on deepening its security-related cooperation with the SCO and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) which specifically deals with issues relating to security and defence. India was an observer at the SCO since 2005 and has generally participated in the ministerial-level meetings of the grouping which focus mainly on security and economic cooperation in the Eurasian region. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year. The officials said India is also likely to focus on the importance of regional connectivity projects to boost trade among members of the SCO countries. India has been strongly pushing for connectivity projects like the Chabahar port project and International North-South Transport Corridor to gain access to resource-rich Central Asian countries. Sources indicated that India's focus would be to include its concerns over cross-border terrorism in the final outcome document. India has been raising the issue of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in various multilateral forums with an aim to build pressure on Islamabad to dismantle the terror infrastructure operating from that country. Modi is expected to hold nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries. However, there is no official word on whether there will be any interaction between Modi and Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, who is scheduled to attend the meeting in China.

PM Modi to attend SCO summit tomorrow; terror, trade on agenda

India and Pakistan will <a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/uninterrupted-dialogue-with-india-only-way-to-resolve-all-disputes-pakistan-143008">not hold any formal meeting</a> on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) summit scheduled to begin tomorrow in China, India's ambassador to China&nbsp;Gautam Bambawale said.&nbsp;

Bambawale&nbsp;confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be "no formal meeting"&nbsp;with Pakistan.

"Neither have we nor has Pakistan asked for a formal meeting but during such summits leaders may talk on the sidelines but there will be no formal meeting (with Pakistan)", Indian Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said.

He further said, "This is the first summit wherein India is participating with complete membership & so will Pakistan, terror will certainly be a substantial part of the&nbsp;discussion".

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, where the two leaders are expected to take stock of the implementations of ideas that they had decided during their informal summit in Wuhan last month.

Indian ambassador to China has confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be no formal meeting with Pakistan

India and Pakistan will not hold any formal meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) summit scheduled to begin tomorrow in China, India's ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said. Bambawale confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be "no formal meeting" with Pakistan. "Neither have we nor has Pakistan asked for a formal meeting but during such summits leaders may talk on the sidelines but there will be no formal meeting (with Pakistan)", Indian Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said. He further said, "This is the first summit wherein India is participating with complete membership & so will Pakistan, terror will certainly be a substantial part of the discussion". The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, where the two leaders are expected to take stock of the implementations of ideas that they had decided during their informal summit in Wuhan last month.

'India, Pak leaders may talk but no formal meeting during SCO summit,' says Indian Ambassador to China

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday on the sidelines of the SCO Summit during which they will take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at the informal summit just over a month ago in Wuhan.

Modi is expected to hold nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries. However, there is no official word on whether there will be any interaction between Modi and Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, who is scheduled to attend the meeting in China.

The bilateral meeting with President Xi would take place on June 9, while meetings with other leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Qingdao were being finalised, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing here.

Officials have said Modi and Xi are expected to take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at their informal summit in Wuhan.

Among other issues, the SCO summit is expected to focus on opportunities for cooperation among the member countries and the situation in the region, Kumar said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the summit.

Modi had last month met Putin in an informal summit in Sochi.

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year, and are participating as full members for the first time.

Kumar, while talking to reporters after the briefing, said China appreciated Prime Minister Modi's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore last week.

This was conveyed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during a meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in South Africa this week, he said.

This was also conveyed by China's Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale in a meeting held here, Kumar said.

In his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Modi said Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests.&nbsp

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the summit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday on the sidelines of the SCO Summit during which they will take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at the informal summit just over a month ago in Wuhan. Modi is expected to hold nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries. However, there is no official word on whether there will be any interaction between Modi and Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, who is scheduled to attend the meeting in China. The bilateral meeting with President Xi would take place on June 9, while meetings with other leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Qingdao were being finalised, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said at a media briefing here. Officials have said Modi and Xi are expected to take stock of the implementation of decisions taken at their informal summit in Wuhan. Among other issues, the SCO summit is expected to focus on opportunities for cooperation among the member countries and the situation in the region, Kumar said. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the summit. Modi had last month met Putin in an informal summit in Sochi. The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its members last year, and are participating as full members for the first time. Kumar, while talking to reporters after the briefing, said China appreciated Prime Minister Modi's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore last week. This was conveyed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during a meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting in South Africa this week, he said. This was also conveyed by China's Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou to Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale in a meeting held here, Kumar said. In his address at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Modi said Asia and the world will have a better future when India and China work together with trust and confidence while being sensitive to each other's interests.

PM Modi to meet Xi on SCO Summit sidelines in China

&nbsp;Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China to take part in the SCO summit in June during which there will &quot;definitely&quot; be a bilateral meeting between him and President Xi Jinping, India&#39;s envoy Gautam Bambawale has said.

&quot;During that (SCO summit), we will definitely have a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping. And before that happens we want to have a lot of other meetings,&quot; said Bambawale in an interview to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a China-dominated security grouping, is increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO.

The SCO summit is due to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao from June 9-10.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone on his re-election for another five years and discussed efforts by both the countries to enhance high-level exchanges and deepen bilateral cooperation.&nbsp;

Both India and China are ancient civilisations with global influence,&nbsp;India will work with China to enhance high-level exchanges, deepen bilateral ties, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs to further a closer developmental partnership between the two countries and promote global and regional peace and development, according to the report.&nbsp;

In an interview to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, Bambawale said: &quot;During that (SCO summit), we will definitely have a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping.&nbsp;And before that happens we want to have a lot of other meetings&quot;.

&quot;We will have a whole series of meetings in the next few weeks and months,&quot; the envoy said, adding that the boundary officials of both the countries will also be meeting.

&quot;We are having these meetings to have candid and frank discussions,&quot; Bambawale said.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently said that she would visit China next month.

The Foreign Ministers of the SCO countries are also due to meet before the summit.

Last year, Indian and Chinese troops had been locked in a stand off for over two months at the Dokalam area in Sikkim section. The face off ended on August 28.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The SCO summit is due to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao from June 9-10

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China to take part in the SCO summit in June during which there will "definitely" be a bilateral meeting between him and President Xi Jinping, India's envoy Gautam Bambawale has said. "During that (SCO summit), we will definitely have a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping. And before that happens we want to have a lot of other meetings," said Bambawale in an interview to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a China-dominated security grouping, is increasingly seen as a counterweight to NATO. The SCO summit is due to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao from June 9-10. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping over the phone on his re-election for another five years and discussed efforts by both the countries to enhance high-level exchanges and deepen bilateral cooperation. Both India and China are ancient civilisations with global influence, India will work with China to enhance high-level exchanges, deepen bilateral ties, strengthen coordination and cooperation in international affairs to further a closer developmental partnership between the two countries and promote global and regional peace and development, according to the report. In an interview to Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, Bambawale said: "During that (SCO summit), we will definitely have a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping. And before that happens we want to have a lot of other meetings". "We will have a whole series of meetings in the next few weeks and months," the envoy said, adding that the boundary officials of both the countries will also be meeting. "We are having these meetings to have candid and frank discussions," Bambawale said. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently said that she would visit China next month. The Foreign Ministers of the SCO countries are also due to meet before the summit. Last year, Indian and Chinese troops had been locked in a stand off for over two months at the Dokalam area in Sikkim section. The face off ended on August 28.

Modi-Xi will 'definitely' meet during SCO summit: India's envoy

To its Western detractors, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an emergent anti-NATO coalition, &ldquo;an OPEC with bombs&rdquo; and a military and economic alliance to be reckoned with.

&nbsp;

To its Eastern proponents and supporters, the SCO is a military and economic coalition of mostly Central Asian countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), which after the expected inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members at the grouping&rsquo;s annual summit in Astana today, would make it represent half the world&rsquo;s population and almost 20 per cent of its GDP.

&nbsp;

Founded in 2001, the alliance&rsquo;s three stated aims are to fight terrorism, extremism and separatism. In addition, members of the group also engage in economic and scientific cooperation.

&nbsp;

But all eyes today, along with a few raised eyebrows, will be fixed on the admission of India and Pakistan as full member states into the SCO. Although chances of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan premier at the summit appear bleak, there are reports that a head-to-head between Mr Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping could be the highlight. India is understandably less sanguine about its role in the coalition, thanks to the growing clout of some of its &lsquo;frenemies&rsquo; in the bloc.

&nbsp;

One of the stumbling blocks which India will likely face is the SCO member states&rsquo; expected endorsement of China&rsquo;s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which connects it to Europe and Africa and covers nearly 70 countries through a series of trade pacts. Delhi believes the BRI violates its sovereignty, particularly the proposed China-Pakistan

Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pak-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region (both an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). It should be noted that India did not participate in the BRI summit held in Beijing in mid-May, which drew 30 heads of state.

&nbsp;

Again, there are differing views on terrorism and territoriality between India on the one hand, as well as China and Pakistan on the other. Beijing still considers the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, remains adamant on preventing Masood Azhar&rsquo;s naming in the UN sanctions list and obstructs India&rsquo;s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Therefore, some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO and the so-called consensus-driven &lsquo;Shanghai Spirit&rsquo;, could potentially imperil India&rsquo;s vital interests.

&nbsp;

There are also concerns that India-Pakistan disputes at the forum could render the bloc flaccid (SAARC serves as the precedent) and for this reason, SCO member states have already instructed the two new entrants to keep their differences aside in the spirit of the SCO Charter, which prohibits the raising of bilateral issues. Thus, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has reportedly said: &ldquo;Hope India and Pakistan strictly follow the charter of the SCO and the idea of good neighbourliness to uphold the SCO spirit, improve their relations and inject new impetus into the development of the SCO.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

Some Indian experts fear that the strong Chinese and now growing Russian ties with Pakistan will not allow them to take the Islamic Republic to task for its increased support to cross-border terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, but instead may use the SCO to force India into negotiating with Pakistan on Kashmir in the context of &lsquo;good-neighborliness&rsquo;.

&nbsp;

In spite of these issues, India would benefit from greater connectivity and influence with Central Asian countries, and this development is likely to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with European Economic Union (EEU), enabling an easy flow of raw materials, goods, finance and technology.

&nbsp;

Again, the opening of the International South Transport Corridor (INSTC) &mdash; the 7,000 km long network of ship, rail and road route for moving goods connecting India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia &mdash; and the proposed Chabahar project in Iran would get a boost by India&rsquo;s joining the coalition.

&nbsp;

Even more important, India might gain from SCO&rsquo;s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In March this year, the anti-terror charter of SCO was bolstered when officials of special services of member states approved a draft convention on combating extremism and terrorism at a meeting in Tashkent. Again, the participation in SCO&rsquo;s counter-terror exercises and military drills with member countries could prove useful for Indian forces. However, it is difficult to foresee India and Pakistani forces participating in bilateral anti-terror exercises under the SCO ambit. India could also benefit from an SCO &lsquo;Energy Club&rsquo;, particularly when Iran would likely join the grouping at a later date.

&nbsp;

The SCO could also provide an opportunity to India to establish stronger ties with other Central Asian countries, for example with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to circumvent the influence of China-Pakistan alignment that could impede India&rsquo;s direct access to Eurasia.

&nbsp;

Some Western observers believe that Russia is trying to take advantage of India-China rivalry by getting India inducted into the SCO. It is contended that Moscow is wary of Beijing&rsquo;s growing clout within the bloc and in a region that Russia views as its backyard. Some observers see signs of Russian unease with growing Chinese investment in Central Asia and reduced economic dependence of the region on the Russian largesse. It is in this context that Russia is said to have objected to any free trade agreement among the SCO members and wants the entry of India &mdash; with its large economic mite &mdash; to mitigate growing Chinese influence.

&nbsp;

Thus, the inclusion of new members into the SCO could make the organisation stronger by virtue of more resources (people and aggregate GDP), but could also make it more vulnerable given the divergence of security and economic interests among its member states.

Some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO could potentially imperil India?s vital interests.

To its Western detractors, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an emergent anti-NATO coalition, “an OPEC with bombs” and a military and economic alliance to be reckoned with. To its Eastern proponents and supporters, the SCO is a military and economic coalition of mostly Central Asian countries (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), which after the expected inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members at the grouping’s annual summit in Astana today, would make it represent half the world’s population and almost 20 per cent of its GDP. Founded in 2001, the alliance’s three stated aims are to fight terrorism, extremism and separatism. In addition, members of the group also engage in economic and scientific cooperation. But all eyes today, along with a few raised eyebrows, will be fixed on the admission of India and Pakistan as full member states into the SCO. Although chances of a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Pakistan premier at the summit appear bleak, there are reports that a head-to-head between Mr Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping could be the highlight. India is understandably less sanguine about its role in the coalition, thanks to the growing clout of some of its ‘frenemies’ in the bloc. One of the stumbling blocks which India will likely face is the SCO member states’ expected endorsement of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) which connects it to Europe and Africa and covers nearly 70 countries through a series of trade pacts. Delhi believes the BRI violates its sovereignty, particularly the proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Pak-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan region (both an integral part of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir). It should be noted that India did not participate in the BRI summit held in Beijing in mid-May, which drew 30 heads of state. Again, there are differing views on terrorism and territoriality between India on the one hand, as well as China and Pakistan on the other. Beijing still considers the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh a disputed territory, remains adamant on preventing Masood Azhar’s naming in the UN sanctions list and obstructs India’s entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Therefore, some Indian strategists contend that becoming part of the SCO and the so-called consensus-driven ‘Shanghai Spirit’, could potentially imperil India’s vital interests. There are also concerns that India-Pakistan disputes at the forum could render the bloc flaccid (SAARC serves as the precedent) and for this reason, SCO member states have already instructed the two new entrants to keep their differences aside in the spirit of the SCO Charter, which prohibits the raising of bilateral issues. Thus, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has reportedly said: “Hope India and Pakistan strictly follow the charter of the SCO and the idea of good neighbourliness to uphold the SCO spirit, improve their relations and inject new impetus into the development of the SCO.” Some Indian experts fear that the strong Chinese and now growing Russian ties with Pakistan will not allow them to take the Islamic Republic to task for its increased support to cross-border terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir, but instead may use the SCO to force India into negotiating with Pakistan on Kashmir in the context of ‘good-neighborliness’. In spite of these issues, India would benefit from greater connectivity and influence with Central Asian countries, and this development is likely to facilitate a Free Trade Agreement with European Economic Union (EEU), enabling an easy flow of raw materials, goods, finance and technology. Again, the opening of the International South Transport Corridor (INSTC) — the 7,000 km long network of ship, rail and road route for moving goods connecting India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia — and the proposed Chabahar project in Iran would get a boost by India’s joining the coalition. Even more important, India might gain from SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS). In March this year, the anti-terror charter of SCO was bolstered when officials of special services of member states approved a draft convention on combating extremism and terrorism at a meeting in Tashkent. Again, the participation in SCO’s counter-terror exercises and military drills with member countries could prove useful for Indian forces. However, it is difficult to foresee India and Pakistani forces participating in bilateral anti-terror exercises under the SCO ambit. India could also benefit from an SCO ‘Energy Club’, particularly when Iran would likely join the grouping at a later date. The SCO could also provide an opportunity to India to establish stronger ties with other Central Asian countries, for example with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, to circumvent the influence of China-Pakistan alignment that could impede India’s direct access to Eurasia. Some Western observers believe that Russia is trying to take advantage of India-China rivalry by getting India inducted into the SCO. It is contended that Moscow is wary of Beijing’s growing clout within the bloc and in a region that Russia views as its backyard. Some observers see signs of Russian unease with growing Chinese investment in Central Asia and reduced economic dependence of the region on the Russian largesse. It is in this context that Russia is said to have objected to any free trade agreement among the SCO members and wants the entry of India — with its large economic mite — to mitigate growing Chinese influence. Thus, the inclusion of new members into the SCO could make the organisation stronger by virtue of more resources (people and aggregate GDP), but could also make it more vulnerable given the divergence of security and economic interests among its member states.

The SCO Summit: A growing coalition of ?Frenemies??

sco-summit

Sco Summit, News on Sco Summit, stories on Sco Summit, articles on Sco Summit, Sco Summit stories at Wion, Sco Summit news, Sco Summit latest news