Paper: GS – II, Subject: International Relations, Topic: India and its neighbourhood, Issue: India’s approach towards terrorism.
Context:
India refused to sign the SCO Defence Ministers’ joint statement at the 2025 meeting in Qingdao, China. As the statement omitted any reference to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India demanded specific mention of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, which was blocked by China and Pakistan.
Key Highlights:
Limitations of Multilateral Forums like SCO:
- Partisan interests: SCO’s proclaimed anti-terror agenda is undermined by its blind eye to Pakistan’s actions.
- Hampering India’s interests: Multilateral platforms like SCO cannot serve India’s counter-terror interests reliably, and challenge Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terrorism due to China’s strategic shielding.
- China’s Influence Over SCO: Beijing refused to include terror references involving Pakistan. At the same time, it allowed mentions of Balochistan unrest, serving Pakistan’s narrative.
- Russia’s Limited Role: India cannot depend on Russia to counterbalance China within the SCO. As Russia becomes more dependent on Beijing, it becomes less inclined to support India diplomatically.
- Geopolitical dynamics: China held trilateral talks with Pakistan and Bangladesh in Kunming recently. It indicates a strategy to include Bangladesh in its South Asian sphere of influence.
Illusions that India must get away with:
- Diplomatic Isolation of Pakistan: India cannot rely on global forums to diplomatically isolate Islamabad. SCO experience shows that China will shield Pakistan even at the cost of credibility.
- Unilateral Leverage Over Bangladesh: India assumes it can shape terms with Dhaka unilaterally. However, recent shifts (e.g. Bangladesh-China deepening ties and political transition in Dhaka) show that India’s influence is limited.
Measures needed:
India risks:
- Risk of becoming irrelevant in key forums like SCO.
- Losing strategic space in South Asia.
- Encirclement by China-Pakistan-Bangladesh nexus.
Conclusion:
The recent SCO summit is a reminder that India must rely on bilateral/regional strategies, not multilateral declarations, to combat terror. A course correction in India’s regional diplomacy is essential to avoid strategic marginalisation.
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