Shanghai Cooperation Organization FM Meeting Concludes

The foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will conclude their meeting in Uzbekistan today.

The SCO is an intergovernmental organization in Eurasia that aims to establish a mutual cooperation ground for member-states on topics related to and concerning economics and security. During the two-day meeting, the representatives of the member states discussed a variety of global events including China’s border standoff with India, and most importantly, Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine. The global wheat and energy crisis caused by the invasion  is directly impacting the trade and wellbeing of SCO member states.

The member states’ bilateral relations with Moscow moving forward will be vital for the future make-up of the organization. While some members have outright condemned Moscow’s hostility in Eastern Europe, some heavyweights of the organization—most notably India—have played an ambiguous role with regard to their relations with Moscow. Although remaining as an ally to the West, New Delhi has demonstrated a strategy of playing both sides as it has stocked up on Russian crude oil, defying the West’s call for sanctions in the process. In the medium-to long-term, New Delhi will likely continue its current foreign policy with Moscow which will further antagonize the West.