Why in News

A senior Indian diplomat travelled to Pakistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of National Coordinators meeting. This is the first official visit by an Indian delegation to Pakistan since the recent military confrontations, referred to as Operation Sindoor.

Key Facts

  • Host: Pakistan, which assumed the SCO Chairmanship at the Bishkek Summit and is hosting the organisation's meetings during 2026–27.
  • Pakistan's announced theme: "Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity".
  • Major upcoming event: The SCO Council of Heads of State Summit will be hosted by Pakistan in August 2027.
  • Meeting type: Council of National Coordinators — a working-level body that prepares the agenda and documents for the higher political bodies of the SCO.

About the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

  • The SCO is a 10-member Eurasian political, economic and security grouping.
  • Members: India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
  • Origins: Evolved from the "Shanghai Five" (1996) and was formally established in 2001 in Shanghai.
  • India and Pakistan became full members in 2017 (Astana Summit). Iran joined in 2023, Belarus in 2024.
  • Permanent bodies:
  • Secretariat – Beijing, China
  • Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) – Tashkent, Uzbekistan
  • Official languages: Chinese and Russian.
  • Decision-making bodies: Council of Heads of State (CHS), Council of Heads of Government (CHG), Council of Foreign Ministers, Council of National Coordinators.

India's Rationale for Attending

  • Obligation as a Member State: As a full member, India's participation is both a diplomatic and institutional commitment. Attending SCO meetings lets India stay inside the organisation's decision-making processes and maintain situational awareness.
  • Diplomatic Balancing: Participation helps India monitor Pakistan's agenda and counter any misuse of the SCO platform on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Kashmir.
  • Assessing Future Engagement: The meeting offers a channel to assess the possibility of future high-level diplomatic engagement, including a potential Prime Ministerial visit to Pakistan.
  • Managing the China Challenge: Engaging through the SCO helps India maintain stability on its western front while focusing greater attention on the China border challenge.

Background and Context

  • India-Pakistan ties have been in deep freeze following the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor strikes.
  • Multilateral platforms such as the SCO allow India to remain engaged with Pakistan without appearing to normalise bilateral relations.
  • India has previously used SCO forums to raise terrorism, cross-border terrorism and connectivity concerns, particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through PoK — which India has consistently rejected.
  • The SCO Charter emphasises mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference and non-aggression — principles India invokes against Pakistan's claims on Jammu & Kashmir.

Significance for India

  • Strategic signalling: Attendance demonstrates India's commitment to multilateralism and to shaping Eurasian security architecture.
  • Counter-narrative tool: Presence in the room denies Pakistan an uncontested platform on Kashmir.
  • Connectivity diplomacy: SCO discussions on connectivity allow India to push for transparent, sovereign-respecting and debt-sustainable projects.
  • Regional stability: Continued engagement aids stability on India's western frontier, shielding resources for the China border challenge.

Constitutional / Legal Angle

  • India's participation in the SCO flows from its executive treaty-making power under Article 73 of the Constitution (extent of executive power of the Union) and is consistent with Article 51 — the Directive Principle directing the State to promote international peace and security and foster respect for international law and treaty obligations.

Way Forward

  • Maintain consistent working-level engagement with Pakistan within SCO formats without signalling bilateral normalisation.
  • Push for counter-terrorism deliverables under RATS and resist any attempt to dilute India's position on PoK.
  • Use the August 2027 Summit to calibrate the level of India's representation based on Pakistan's conduct and the security environment.