‘Aloof’ but engaged: what India’s SCO comeback reveals
Two years ago, Narendra Modi skipped the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO) summit in Astana entirely, sending his foreign minister instead. That absence was redressed first at last year’s summit in Tianjin and again this week in Kyrgyzstan, where India’s prime minister stood shoulder to shoulder with China’s Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of other SCO member…
Two years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Astana, sending only his foreign minister in his place. However, this year, Modi has returned to the SCO's fold, attending the 26th summit in Kyrgyzstan alongside China's President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Analysts believe that India's increased engagement with the SCO is a response to its desire to counterbalance China's influence and to hedge against the unpredictable United States. While China remains the dominant force within the bloc, India's presence provides a counterbalance to its influence and helps prevent the SCO from becoming an anti-Western bloc.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
