The False Promise of SCO

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has been the flavour of the season.

- SANKALP GURJAR

Photos from the summit have taken social media by storm. If anything, the optics of the Tianjin summit are meant to send a message to the United States and Donald Trump. But beyond the symbolism, does the SCO carry any real significance for India? Should India place its bets on this organisation?

Very few international organisations are named after a city in one of the participating countries. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is the most prominent among them. In recent weeks, India has been reeling under the shock of American tariffs and the rhetoric of Trump administration officials. With the shifting contours of American policy, even a club that includes China and Pakistan suddenly seems like a viable option for India.

India's enthusiastic participation in the SCO summit hosted by China was meant to signal to Washington that New Delhi has other options. The SCO and BRICS have become synonymous with India's strategic autonomy. For some, they also represent an assertion of India's sovereignty and self-respect. The message appears to be that, in the face of American pressure, India will pivot towards other great powers such as Russia and China. Yet, this is also the right time to question the utility of the SCO for India's geopolitical and geoeconomic future.