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US is ‘Concerned’ About Long-Term Strategic Challenge from SCO: Academic

© Sputnik / Alexander Kazakov / Go to the mediabankRussian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council via videoconference at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council via videoconference at the Kremlin, in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, July 4, 2023 - Sputnik India, 1920, 04.07.2023
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India concluded its year-long presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the grouping's leaders for a virtual summit.
The growing popularity of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) among non-western countries is bound to make the US and its allies feel “concerned”, an academic has told Sputnik.

“Though the SCO is not an anti-West grouping, nor is it a counter force for the US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as it continues to expand to include more non-Western members and bolsters security and economic cooperation among member states, the United States and its Western allies will feel uncomfortable and even concerned about the SCO's long-term strategic challenges,” said Zhiqun Zhu, Professor of Political Science and International Relations at Bucknell University.

He pointed out that none of the SCO member state has buckled under the western pressure to “condemn” Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine.
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Iran, which has been grappling with the fallout of US sanctions over its nuclear programme, formally acceded to the SCO at the Council of Heads of State meeting hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in virtual mode on Tuesday.
The SCO states have also formalized Belarus’ Memorandum of Obligation to join the Eurasian grouping.
Zhu noted that enhancing cooperation in the realms of security, economy and culture constituted the primary mandates of the SCO, which has also been enshrined the ‘Charter’ of the Beijing-headquartered grouping.
“On the security front, the SCO summit 2023 will address both traditional and non-traditional security issues. Countering terrorism and combating drug-trafficking remain key security challenges for member states,” the academic stated.
In fact, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the SCO leaders’ meeting on Tuesday that the security situation in Afghanistan has had a “direct impact” on all the SCO states.
Modi reiterated his previous calls on the Taliban* to form an “inclusive government”, respect the rights of minority and women and now allow Afghanistan to be used as a “base” for terrorist activities in third nations.
Zhu also pointed out towards the “culturally diverse” make-up of the SCO grouping, which comprises the “world’s largest democracy India” and other nations with different governance systems was "quite impressive".

SCO’s Role in Addressing Economic Challenges

As far as the economic challenges are concerned, Zhu said that the spillover effects of the Ukraine conflict have emerged as “more acute challenges” for Eurasian nations as well as other developing nations.
The academic said that the member states would expect the SCO to address issues concerning food and fuel crisis through the bolstering of economic cooperation and greater economic coordination.
Notably, Prime Minister Modi said that SCO could become an “important voice” for global governance reforms, including those at the UN.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping both backed the increased use of national currencies in settling trade among SCO members, which would dent the financial hegemony of the US dollar, which has remained the preeminent currency for international transactions for decades.

SCO Summit is an ‘Opportunity’ for India

Zhu said that hosting the SCO summit, albeit virtually, presented an “opportunity” for India to “project its image as a growing power with considerable global clout”.
“For India, SCO summit 2023 offers an opportunity to PM Modi still glows from a recent pomp-filled state visit to Washington, and now he is hosting President Putin and President Xi as well as several Central Asian heads of state. India's skilful movement between the West and the non-Western camps is truly impressive.” Zhu stated.
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He said that it remained in India’s “interest” to balance its ties with the west and non-western countries, in line with its policy of maintaining strategic autonomy in foreign relations.

“But to be truly a global power, could India play a more active role in defusing tensions in the world, especially between the United States and China?” the academic wondered.

Zhu also said that inspite of longstanding border disputes between New Delhi and its two big neighbours—China and Pakistan, the SCO presented a platform to “build some trust for cooperation between India and its two rival neighbors”.
*under UN sanctions
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