SCO: India and Pakistan

• Recently, the External Affairs Minister of India held informal talks with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• It says that this conversation was more positive than the previous meetings.
• The Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is the second largest council after the Council of Heads of State of the SCO.

What are the positive developments between India and Pakistan at the SCO summit:

Avoidance of controversial statements:

• Both India and Pakistan refrained from using controversial speeches in their national statements.
• There was no direct mention of sensitive issues like Kashmir by Pakistan, while India refrained from making a specific mention of Pakistan while discussing cross-border terrorism.

Productive meeting:

• India complimented the Pakistani leadership for holding a productive meeting of the SCO and sent positive signals in its departure statement.

Cooperation on regional issues:

• Issues such as trade, connectivity, energy flows and cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism were discussed, with emphasis on cooperation rather than confrontation.
• TAPI (Turkmenistan-Pakistan-Afghanistan-India) energy pipeline and other issues were discussed with some SCO members.

Initiatives for economic cooperation:

• As a result of this summit, economic dialogue programmes and strategies for enhancing economic cooperation were proposed.
• The joint statement emphasised cooperation in areas such as green growth, digital economy, trade, poverty alleviation and renewable energy.

Why is this positive development important?

• Abrogation of Article 370 (2019)
• India’s decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status (Article 370) in August 2019 further strained the already fragile relationship.
• Pakistan considers it illegal while India considers it as its internal matter.

The deterioration of bilateral relations:

• On 7 August 2019, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic relations with India to the charge d’affaires level and expelled the Indian High Commissioner in response to India’s abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indus Waters Treaty:

• Tensions were exacerbated by the dispute over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects, in which Pakistan alleges that India is violating the treaty.
• India has formally requested a review and revision of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, which Pakistan did not find appropriate.

Restricted trade:

• After the Pulwama attack in 2019, India revoked Pakistan’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status and Pakistan suspended bilateral trade.
• Bilateral trade was disrupted by the abrogation of Article 370. The trade in 2018-19 was USD 2.06 billion in exports and USD 0.495 billion in imports.

The internal intervention:

• Pakistan has accused India of fomenting unrest in Balochistan province and supporting separatist movements there.
• India has accused Pakistan of radicalising Kashmiri youth and internationalising the Kashmir issue.

How can multilateral forums improve India-Pakistan relations?

Neutral forum for dialogue:

• Multilateral institutions like the SCO provide a neutral environment for India and Pakistan to interact without bilateral tensions.
• These platforms facilitate informal interactions and track-two diplomacy (informal, non-governmental discussions), which can open avenues of communication with de-escalation.

The regional cooperation:

• Through SAARC, the two nations have collaborated on regional trade agreements in the past.
• Possibilities of cooperation in areas such as climate change, disaster management and public health are still high.

The security concerns:

• Both India and Pakistan are part of the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) that aims to promote cooperation in dealing with terrorism, separatism and extremism.
• It provides a framework under which the two countries can work together on common security threats, even if their bilateral relations are strained.

Reducing the distrust:

• The UN General Assembly and other international forums have the participation of many countries that can act as mediators for constructive dialogue.
• Multilateral diplomacy can reduce tensions as was seen in the Kargil conflict of 1999 (in which international pressure played a role in normalising the situation).

Economic exchanges:

• Projects such as the mutually beneficial Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline and the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline can boost cooperation even between different adversaries.

SCO:

• It is a permanent intergovernmental international organization established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China.

Establishment:

• It was founded by six founding countries namely Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Objectives:

• It aims to strengthen mutual trust among member countries, enhance cooperation in various fields, ensure regional peace and stability and promote a fair international political and economic order.

The theory:

• SCO adheres to the Shanghai Spirit, which is based on mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and shared development.

The decision-making bodies:

• The highest decision-making body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of State (CHS), which meets annually to consider key organisational issues.
• The Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meets annually to discuss cooperation strategies, prioritize areas and approve budgets.

Permanent Bodies:

• SCO has two permanent bodies.
• Its Secretariat is in Beijing, which is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.
• The Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) of Tashkent, focuses on counter-terrorism efforts with regional security.
• The current members:
• The 10 full members of the SCO are China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran (2023) and Belarus (2024).

 

SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group:

• In 2005, the SCO formed the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group to address security and stability concerns in Afghanistan, reflecting its commitment to regional security issues.

The official languages:

• The official languages of the SCO are Russian and Chinese which facilitate communication between the member countries.

Partnerships and Collaborations:

• The SCO has developed partnerships with various organizations, including the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and several UN agencies.

Conclusion:

The recent informal interaction between India and Pakistan at the SCO meeting (which saw positive developments and constructive dialogue) highlights the role of multilateral forums in promoting cooperation. By prioritizing regional cooperation and addressing common challenges, these forums can pave the way for better bilateral relations and stability.