• In News: The 2026 SCO Summit (26th Council of Heads of State meeting) was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

• Historical Background:

• The Shanghai Five emerged in 1996 from a series of negotiations between China and four former USSR republics concerning border demarcation and demilitarisation.
• Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were the members of the Shanghai Five.
• In 2001, with the entry of Uzbekistan into the group, the Shanghai Five was renamed the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

• Members: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus and the four Central Asian countries—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

• The group was expanded in 2017, when India and Pakistan became members.
• Iran joined in 2023, while Belarus became the 10th and newest member in 2024.
• Observer Status: Afghanistan and Mongolia.

• Objective: To enhance regional cooperation aimed at preventing terrorism, separatism and extremism in the Central Asian region.

• Languages: The official languages of the SCO are Russian and Chinese.

• Structure: The Council of Heads of State (CHS) is the highest decision-making body of the SCO, which meets once a year. The organisation has two permanent bodies—the Secretariat in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent.

• Summits:

• The first SCO Summit was held in 2002 in St. Petersburg, Russia.
• The 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State was held in 2025 in Tianjin, China.
• The 2026 SCO Summit (26th Council of Heads of State meeting) was held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

                     Chairmanship: President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov.

• The 27th SCO Chairmanship for 2026–27 was handed over to Pakistan.

• Importance of SCO for India:

• Relations with Central Asia: The SCO provides India with an important platform to strengthen political, economic and strategic relations with the Central Asian countries.
• Counter-terrorism and Security: It helps enhance cooperation against terrorism, extremism, separatism, drug trafficking and cybercrime.
• Energy Security: It is useful for improving India’s access to oil, gas and other energy resources of Russia and the Central Asian countries.
• Trade and Connectivity: It helps enhance trade connectivity with Central Asia. It provides India with an opportunity to promote alternatives such as the Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
• Relations with Russia: The SCO provides India with a platform to maintain strategic and economic cooperation with Russia at the multilateral level.
• Strategic Autonomy: Through the SCO, India can strengthen its strategic autonomy by maintaining relations with different centres of power.
• Multipolar World Order: India’s active participation in the SCO strengthens its vision of a multipolar and balanced global order.
• Economic and Technological Cooperation: It creates opportunities for cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, science and technology, agriculture, health and startups.

• Challenges for India:

• Growing Chinese Influence: China has considerable economic and political influence within the SCO, making it challenging for India to maintain a balance.
• China-Pakistan Proximity: The strategic partnership between China and Pakistan poses a challenge to India’s interests within the SCO.
• Issue of Terrorism: India and Pakistan have serious differences over cross-border terrorism.
• India-China Border Dispute: Tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) affect cooperation between the two countries.
• Connectivity Problem: The lack of direct land connectivity through Pakistan and instability in Afghanistan limit India’s direct access to Central Asia.
• Russia-West Tensions: The conflict between Russia and Western countries creates a challenge for India in maintaining diplomatic balance.
• Divergent Interests of Member States: SCO member countries have different political, economic and strategic interests, making it difficult to reach an effective consensus within the organisation.

Conclusion: The SCO is an important platform for India in terms of access to Central Asia, energy security, counter-terrorism cooperation and strategic autonomy. However, China’s influence, China-Pakistan proximity and regional security challenges limit its effectiveness. Therefore, India should adopt a policy of active participation, multilateral cooperation and strategic balancing.