SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting
Context:
As this year’s Chair of the SCO, which comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan in addition to India, New Delhi will host visiting Defence Ministers from member nations as well as observers Belarus and Iran.
Points to Ponder:
- India will welcome Defence Ministers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes, in addition to India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan.
- Defence Ministers from observers Belarus and Iran will also attend the summit.
- Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is slated to participate virtually in the conference, while a Pakistani Defence Ministry delegation landed in India on Tuesday for the SCO Working Group meeting on Wednesday, prior to the Ministerial meeting.
- The Defence Ministers will meet to discuss regional peace and security, SCO counter-terrorism operations, and effective multilateralism.
- On the sidelines, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will attend bilateral discussions.
- Beijing has announced that General Li Shangfu, the recently appointed State Councillor and Defence Minister, will visit India on April 27 and 28, as well as have bilateral discussions.
- This will be China’s first high-level military visit since the outbreak of the LAC conflict in April 2020.
- The 18th round of military discussions between Corps Commanders was held on Sunday, with both sides agreeing that restoring peace along the border areas would “enable progress” in previously tense relations.
- Pradeep Kumar Rawat, India’s Ambassador in Beijing, who will take office in March 2022, was among 70 foreign envoys who formally handed their credentials to President Xi Jinping at the capital’s Great Hall of the People on Monday.
- The presentation of credentials to Mr. Xi by foreign envoys was thought to have been delayed due to the “zero-COVID” restrictions in place for much of last year, during which the Chinese leader strictly limited public engagements, as well as the National People’s Congress in March, which marked the start of Mr. Xi’s third term as President.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):
- Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a permanent intergovernmental international organization for regional security.
- SCO was created in 2001 as a successor to Shanghai Five which was constituted by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
- After Uzbekistan joined the organization in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
- India and Pakistan joined the grouping in 2017.
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