Because of India’s refusal, the meeting concluded without the adoption of a joint declaration, as SCO rules require full consensus for joint declaration.
- India’s Defence Minister reiterated that India has sought to build consensus on addressing global challenges based on the motto 'One Earth, One Family, One Future,' which is rooted in India’s civilizational ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.'
- He also highlighted that the SCO accounts for 30% of global GDP and 40% of the world’s population.
Significance of SCO for India
- Fostering Regional Security: SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) can help counter terrorism.
- Boost to Socioeconomic Ties: Promotes cooperation through initiatives such as the SCO Young Scientists Conclave and the Special Working Group on Innovation and Startups (proposed by India).
- Enhancing Regional Connectivity: International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) involves SCO members; thus, their support could be leveraged.
- Such projects are also crucial for countering China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- Countering the hegemony of Western-dominated institutions via the SCO’s proposal for trade in national currency instead of the dollar.
China-Pakistan Axis, China’s silence towards Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism and the Perception of the SCO being an anti-Western grouping, etc., are the key issues being faced by India at the SCO.
