SCO’s Challenges in Achieving Anti-Terror Cooperation Amid Diverging Interests

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) aims to bolster security, stability, and peace in the region, establishing the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure to this end. However, diverging interests among member states, particularly between India and China following their 2020 border clashes, hinder anti-terror cooperation efforts. India’s alignment with the US and its reluctance to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, including concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), exacerbate tensions. Pakistan accuses India of undermining the CPEC and supporting terrorism within its borders, a claim highlighted by the capture and conviction of Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan.
Terrorist attacks in Pakistan, notably against Chinese engineers, have been attributed to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with allegations of Indian support. This situation complicates China’s relationship with Afghanistan, where Beijing seeks to extend its Belt and Road Initiative despite ongoing regional instability. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain strained over issues such as border demarcation and water sharing, with recent clashes exacerbating tensions.
India’s involvement in Afghanistan, including investment in infrastructure and alleged support for terrorist elements, is seen as a significant barrier to regional anti-terror cooperation. Beijing believes that engaging with Afghan authorities and addressing India’s conflicting interests with Pakistan and China are crucial for achieving the SCO’s objectives. The article suggests that without financial and military support for Afghanistan and a resolution to India’s conflicts with Pakistan and China, the SCO’s mission of regional security cooperation remains largely theoretical. Asma Khalid, an independent researcher and former visiting fellow at the Stimson Center, provides this analysis.