NEW DELHI: As foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) began their informal meetings in Goa on Thursday, the stark background remains one of strife in Europe, Middle East, South China Sea, South Asia, as well as flare ups in Africa and elsewhere.

Given the involvement of Russia and China, the founders of the group, Ukraine would be lurking close to the discussions, analysts say.

The theme of India’s Chairmanship of SCO in 2023 is ‘SECURE-SCO’, and India says it attaches special importance to SCO in promoting multilateral, political, security, economic and people-to-people interactions in the region.

“The ongoing engagement with SCO has helped India promote its relations with the countries in the region with which India has shared civilisational linkages, and is considered India’s extended neighbourhood,” said an official statement.

India looking to push through proposals to make Russia, China-led multilateral organisation ‘more inclusive’

“SCO pursues its policy based on the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, non-interference in internal affairs, equality of all member states and mutual understanding and respect for opinions of each of them,” it added.

Since becoming a full member of the SCO in 2017, India has been nudging the bloc to add ‘English’ as an official language of communication.

The first such proposal was placed in 2020, necessitated by the inclusion of India and Pakistan as full members to a grouping that has had only Russian and Mandarin as the official and working languages of the bloc, which was founded by Russia, China and four Central Asian nations where Russian language is widely in use.

Since its inception in 1996, SCO has grown, expanded, and emerged as one of the largest regional organisations. SCO member countries account for about 30 percent of global GDP and 40 percent of the world’s population.

On the agenda for the SCO under India’s presidency will also be modernisation of the grouping with focus on advanced technology and digital infrastructure.

The agenda also includes discussions with regional counterparts on various regional, security, and political issues.

The SCO says it has persistently promoted the strengthening of collaboration on issues pertaining to regional security, defence, and combating terrorism, among others.

Reports say India was holding three bilateral meetings - with SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming during the first half of Thursday, with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov around 3pm, followed by a bilateral meeting with Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang. Mr Jaishankar is expected to hold other bilateral meetings on Friday, but there is only speculation if Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is among them.

Mr Bhutto is attending the SCO meeting at the invitation of Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who has effectively brushed off the prospects of talks with his Pakistani counterpart. But he spoke to his Chinese counterpart, as he would with others.

As members of the same SCO, perhaps, India and Pakistan might ponder some beginning, shepherded by a Russian or a Chinese friend? It could be the more discreet thing to do, then ignoring each other because polarised elections are being held in Karnataka.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023