Syllabus:

GS2: Important International Institutions, agencies and fora - their Structure, Mandate 

Context: Recently, the Defence Minister of India refused to sign the draft statement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. 

More on the News

• India declined to sign the SCO draft statement after it omitted any reference to the Pahalgam incident while including the train hijacking in Balochistan, an area where India has long faced unfounded allegations of involvement in separatist activities.
• India sought the inclusion of terrorism-related concerns in the document, but opposition from one country prevented its adoption.
• The SCO Council of Heads of State is scheduled next meeting in Tianjin this autumn and it will be an important event to follow.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organisation. The Secretariat in Beijing (China) 
• The SCO aims to boost mutual trust, regional cooperation, and peace among member states while promoting collaboration across politics, economy, science, culture, security, and advancing a fair global order.   
• Working of SCO:
  The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body in the SCO. It meets once every year to take decisions and give instructions on all important issues regarding SCO activity.
  The Heads of Government Council (HGC) meets annually to set cooperation priorities, address key economic issues, and approve the Organisation's budget.
  Beyond HSC and HGC sessions, the SCO also holds meetings among top officials across various sectors, including security, foreign affairs, defence, economy, health, and judiciary.
  The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure functions under the SCO Charter, Shanghai Convention, and related agreements and decisions within the SCO framework.
  The SCO Secretary-General and RATS Executive Committee Director are appointed by the HSC for three years.
  Russian and Chinese are the official working languages of the SCO.
• Member Countries: India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Belarus.

Significance of the Action

• The SCO has traditionally been led by Russia and China, but China’s influence has increased since Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine war (2022).
• Pakistan, a close ally of China, received Chinese support during its military standoff with India after Operation Sindoor.
• In this context, the Defence Minister's refusal to sign the SCO draft statement is notable. This reflects India’s consistent position of “no compromise on terrorism,” maintaining that normal relations cannot coexist with terrorism.