Current Affairs · · Prelims · International Relations

India attends SCO coordinators meeting in Islamabad

India joined the SCO Council of National Coordinators meeting in Islamabad on 28–30 September 2026 under Pakistan’s chairmanship. The visit remained a multilateral SCO engagement. For UPSC, focus on SCO institutions, RATS, India’s Central Asia interests and the distinction between multilateral participation and bilateral normalisation.

Event date:

REq1
  1. Context1 / 5

    India took part in the SCO Council of National Coordinators (CNC) meeting in Islamabad on 28–30 September 2026. Its delegation was led by Alok Amitabh Dimri, India's SCO National Coordinator and an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

    Pakistan chairs the SCO Council of Heads of State for 2026–27 and is due to host its summit in August 2027. The Islamabad visit took place within the SCO's multilateral programme; it did not, by itself, signal renewed India–Pakistan bilateral talks.

    Indian representatives had attended other SCO meetings in Pakistan earlier in 2026. The notable feature here was the senior level of the MEA delegation.

  2. Key highlights2 / 5

    The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded in 2001. It has 10 full members: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017.

    The Council of Heads of State is its highest decision-making body. The SCO Secretariat is in Beijing; the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) is in Tashkent.

    RATS helps members cooperate against terrorism, separatism and extremism through information exchange, databases and support for joint action.

    Prelims distinction: SCO is a political, security and economic forum. It has no NATO-style collective-defence obligation.

  3. Key concepts3 / 5

    What does the CNC do?

    • It coordinates the SCO's regular activities and cooperation among members.
    • It prepares meetings of the Heads of State, Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers.
    • It meets at least three times a year, keeping work moving between summits.

    The Islamabad meeting considered Pakistan's chairmanship programme, upcoming events and cooperation across political and economic areas. National coordinators prepare much of the work later taken up by senior leaders.

  4. Note4 / 5

    Why the SCO matters for India

    • Eurasian engagement: India meets Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan and Central Asian states in one forum.
    • Central Asia: The forum supports India's political, economic and security engagement with the region.
    • Counter-terrorism: RATS offers a standing mechanism for cooperation against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
    • Economic agenda: Members discuss trade, transport, energy, investment and connectivity.

    India's full membership complements its wider Central Asia diplomacy. It can also participate in other forums, including BRICS, the G20 and the Quad, which have different purposes.

  5. Note5 / 5

    Multilateral participation and bilateral relations

    At a multilateral meeting, states work within a shared organisation and agenda. Bilateral talks address issues directly between two states.

    India and Pakistan can therefore attend the same SCO meeting while their bilateral relationship remains strained. Shared participation alone does not show that their disputes have been resolved.

    PSIR lens: Regional institutions can preserve limited, issue-based cooperation among strategic rivals without ending the rivalry. The SCO illustrates how countries may work together on selected interests while disagreeing elsewhere.

Sources

Syllabus

PaperSubjectSub-topic
PrelimsInternational RelationsSCO members, institutions, CNC and RATS
GS2International RelationsRegional groupings involving India and India–Pakistan relations
PSIRInternational RelationsIndian foreign policy and regionalisation of world politics

Topics

Current AffairsInternational Relations and Current AffairsGovernance

Related previous-year questions

Asked in earlier UPSC Prelims papers on this topic. Answer, then check.

  1. UPSC Prelims 2022 · International Relations and Current Affairs

    Consider the following: 1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 2. Missile Technology Control Regime 3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation India is a member of which of the above?

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Statement 1 – CORRECT: India is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) with the second-highest voting share after China. AIIB is a multilateral development bank headquartered in Beijing that commenced operations in January 2016. Statement 2 – CORRECT: India became an official member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in 2018. MTCR is an informal political understanding among states formed in 1987 to limit proliferation of missiles and missile technology. Statement 3 – CORRECT: India officially joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a full-fledged member at the historic Astana summit on 9 June 2017. SCO currently comprises nine member states including China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. All three statements are correct → Option (d) 1, 2 and 3.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

    Open this question on its own page, with the full explanation →

Practice questions

  1. With reference to the SCO, consider these statements: 1. The Council of National Coordinators coordinates regular SCO activities. 2. The RATS Executive Committee is in Beijing. 3. India became a full member in 2017. Which statements are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 1 and 3 only
    3. 2 and 3 only
    4. 1, 2 and 3
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Statements 1 and 3 are correct. RATS is based in Tashkent; the SCO Secretariat is in Beijing.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  2. Which of these are full SCO members? 1. Belarus. 2. Iran. 3. Türkiye. 4. Mongolia. Select the correct answer.

    1. 1 and 2 only
    2. 1, 2 and 3 only
    3. 3 and 4 only
    4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
    Show answer

    Answer: A. Belarus and Iran are full members. Türkiye and Mongolia are not.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

  3. Consider these statements about SCO institutions: 1. The Council of Heads of State is the highest decision-making body. 2. The Council of Heads of Government handles the budget and major economic cooperation issues. Which is correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Answer: C. Both statements describe the respective councils correctly.

    Difficulty: medium · statement

Mains practice

Answer-writing practice on this article. Attempt it first, then open the hints.

  1. GS2 · 150 words

    India’s participation in multilateral institutions with Pakistan does not necessarily imply bilateral normalisation. Discuss with reference to the SCO.

    Show hints
    1. Define multilateral and bilateral engagement.
    2. Explain India’s role in the SCO and the Islamabad meeting.
    3. Identify shared interests, including regional security.
    4. Distinguish institutional cooperation from progress on bilateral disputes.
  2. PSIR · 250 words

    How can regional institutions enable limited cooperation among states despite continuing strategic rivalry? Examine with reference to the SCO.

    Show hints
    1. Explain issue-based multilateralism.
    2. Describe the SCO’s coordinating bodies and RATS.
    3. Assess shared interests among rival members.
    4. Explain the limits of institutional cooperation.
    5. Conclude with India’s Eurasian interests.