Assess the SCO's usefulness to India in countering cross-border terrorism, given the Pakistan–China convergence inside the grouping.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is one of the few Eurasian forums where India can put its case on cross-border terrorism to Russia, China, Iran and the Central Asian states at the same time. Pakistan now chairs the SCO in 2026 and will host its August 2027 Summit, and it is closely aligned with China [1]. This limits what the forum can deliver. Its usefulness is real but bounded.

Usefulness to India

• Shaping norms: During India's 2023 chairship, SCO leaders issued a joint statement on Countering Radicalisation leading to Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism [2].
• Pressing for accountability: At the 2023 Defence Ministers' meeting in New Delhi, India urged members to "fix accountability" on those who support terrorism [3]. At Qingdao (2025), it criticised states that use terrorism "as an instrument of policy" [2].
• Explaining Operation Sindoor: India briefed members on Operation Sindoor, its strike on nine terrorist camps after the Pahalgam attack [2][4]. In Kyrgyzstan it stated that terror epicentres are "no longer immune" from punishment [5].
• Winning on the text: The PM attended the Tianjin Summit [6], and the Tianjin Declaration reflected India's firm stand against terrorism [7].
• Multilateral without bilateral: A Joint Secretary attended the Islamabad meeting in September 2026 while bilateral ties stayed frozen [1].

Limits imposed by the Pakistan–China convergence

• Weakened wording: When drafts are negotiated by consensus, like-minded members can water down the language. An SCO document that left out the Pahalgam attack was questioned in the Rajya Sabha [8].
• Host sets the agenda: As Chair, Pakistan steers the preparatory drafts for the 2027 Summit [1].
• Statements, not enforcement: SCO outcomes condemn terrorism in general terms. They do not name the states that sponsor it or impose any cost on them.
• Expansion risk: Türkiye, whose President raised Kashmir at the UNGA, wants to join. This could enlarge the group of members sympathetic to Pakistan [1].

Way forward

• Tie the level of India's attendance at the 2027 Summit to whether the draft condemns cross-border terrorism, as India did successfully in 2023 [2].
• Use the SCO's consensus rule quietly to shape expansion, and keep high-level visits strictly multilateral.

Overall, the SCO helps India set norms and put its message across, but it cannot enforce anything against a Pakistan backed by China. Its value depends on India staying present to block weakened texts and to steer them, as it did at Tianjin. Used alongside other counter-terror platforms, it supports India's stance of zero tolerance for terrorism.