The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) encompasses nearly half of the world’s population and vast Eurasian territory. Founded on the “Shanghai Spirit” (mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, and consultations), the organization increasingly faces internal geopolitical frictions—termed the “Virus of Conflict”—that challenge its consensus-based decision-making.

Manifestations of the “Virus of Conflict” within the SCO

• Bilateral Geopolitical Tensions: Longstanding disputes between India and Pakistan over cross-border terrorism and territorial sovereignty create frictions during summits. Strained relations and border standoffs between India and China (e.g., along the Line of Actual Control) also affect multilateral cohesion.
• Intra-Central Asian Resource & Border Disputes: Persistent border demarcation disagreements and water-sharing frictions among Central Asian member states (e.g., periodic border clashes between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan).
• Divergent Counter-Terrorism Approaches: Differences in defining and prioritizing security threats related to cross-border terrorism and regional stability in post-takeover Afghanistan.
• Great Power Friction: Rising geopolitical competition involving China, Russia, and the West affects the organization’s external relationships and internal consensus.

Role of India in Mitigating the Problems

• 1. Strengthening Non-Alignment and Strategic Autonomy:
  • India maintains constructive bilateral ties across member nations, serving as a non-partisan diplomatic interlocutor rather than aligning exclusively with any single bloc within the SCO.
• 2. Promoting Regional Security via SCO-RATS:
  • Actively participates in the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), hosting regional counter-terror exercises (e.g., Manesar Anti-Terror) and pushing for actionable intelligence sharing against cross-border narcotics trafficking and extremism.
• 3. Championing Inclusive Overland Connectivity:
  • Advocates connectivity initiatives that respect territorial integrity and sovereignty, promoting transparent alternatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and operationalizing the Chabahar Port route to connect Central Asia with South Asia.
• 4. Sharing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI):
  • During its 2023 SCO Chairmanship, India introduced practical multilateral collaboration pillars: Digital Public Infrastructure (sharing UPI and Aadhaar-like open architectures), startup exchanges, and traditional medicine databases.
• 5. Fostering Cultural Ties and People-to-People Contacts:
  • Builds regional cultural connections through initiatives like declaring Varanasi the inaugural SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital and organizing the SCO Millet Food Festival to strengthen diplomatic ties.

By applying principles of mutual respect and strategic autonomy, India works to steer the SCO toward practical economic cooperation, counter-terrorism, and regional connectivity.