25th SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting: Raksha Mantri calls for unified action to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism

1. At a Glance

• Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh represented India at the 25th Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government (CHG) in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, held on 19–20 Oct 2026. He called on SCO members to dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorism [1][2].
• The CHG is the SCO's second most important mechanism. It meets every year and decides trade-economic cooperation and the SCO annual budget [3].
• The speech set out India's positions: no double standards on terrorism, connectivity that respects sovereignty and territorial integrity, and lean institutions ("more institutions ≠ more achievements") [1].
• For UPSC this covers GS-II (regional groupings, India's neighbourhood and Central Asia policy) and GS-III (terrorism and its financing).

2. Why in the News

• 20 Oct 2026: RM addressed the 25th SCO CHG in Dushanbe. He described terrorism as "one of the gravest threats to peace and development" [1].
• The Joint Communiqué of the 25th CHG was adopted. It included the SCO budget for 2027 and the PMTEC Action Plan 2026–2030 [1].
• The meeting came soon after the 26th SCO Summit (CHS) in Bishkek (31 Aug–1 Sep 2026), where PM Modi pressed for concrete outcomes under Security, Connectivity and Opportunity [1][4].

3. Background & Evolution

• Apr 1996: the Shanghai-5 group was formed (Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan) [3].
• 15 Jun 2001: the SCO was established. Uzbekistan's admission turned the group into the "Shanghai-6" [3].
• Jul 2005 (Astana): India, Iran and Pakistan became Observers [3].
• Jul 2015 (Ufa, Russia): the SCO decided to admit India and Pakistan as full members [3].
• Jun 2017 (Astana): India and Pakistan became full members [3].
• 30 Nov 2020: India hosted the 19th CHG virtually, chaired by VP Venkaiah Naidu. This was the first summit-level SCO meeting held under India's chairmanship [3].
• 17 Sep 2022 (Samarkand): India took over the CHS presidency. It hosted the 23rd CHS virtually on 4 Jul 2023, where Iran was admitted as a member [3].
• 4 Jul 2024 (Astana): Belarus was admitted, making 10 members [3].
• 15–16 Oct 2024: the 23rd CHG was held in Pakistan [3].
• 31 Aug–1 Sep 2025: at the 25th CHS in Tianjin, China, PM Modi set out the three pillars Security, Connectivity, Opportunity [5].
• 31 Aug–1 Sep 2026: the 26th CHS in Bishkek marked the SCO's 25th anniversary. PM Modi called for a roadmap for the next 25 years [4].
• 19–20 Oct 2026: the 25th CHG was held in Dushanbe [2].

4. Core Static Facts

Item	Fact
Founded	15 June 2001 [3]
Predecessor	Shanghai-5 (April 1996) [3]
Members (10)	India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus [3]
Observers (2)	Afghanistan, Mongolia [3]
Dialogue Partners	14, including Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Türkiye, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt [3]
Official languages	Russian and Chinese only (per the SCO Charter) [3]
Supreme body	Council of Heads of State (CHS). Meets annually; the chair rotates in Russian alphabetical order [3]
2nd body	Council of Heads of Government (CHG). Handles trade-economic cooperation and the annual budget [3]
CFM	Council of Foreign Ministers. Meets about one month before the CHS [3]
CNC	Council of National Coordinators. Runs day-to-day work. India's National Coordinator is JS (SCO), MEA [3]
Permanent bodies (before Bishkek)	Secretariat (Beijing) and RATS Executive Committee (Tashkent) [3]
New permanent bodies (Bishkek 2026)	Universal Centre (Tashkent) and Anti-Drug Centre (Dushanbe) [1]
Secretary-General	Nurlan Yermekbaev (Kazakhstan). Took office Jan 2025 for 3 years [3]
India's budget share	5.9% [3]
India's quota posts	Deputy Secretary-General and Referent, in both the Secretariat and RATS [3]
Who usually represents India at the CHG	EAM (PM attends the CHS). In 2026 the RM went [3][1]
India's 2023 theme	SECURE: Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for sovereignty & territorial integrity, Environmental protection [3]
Documents adopted at the 25th CHG	Joint Communiqué, SCO Budget 2027, PMTEC Action Plan 2026–2030 [1]

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Security / Strategic

• India's framing has three parts: "no justification for terrorism, no double standards, no place for those who finance, support or provide safe havens" [1]. Analysis: this is an indirect reference to cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, raised in a forum where both Pakistan and China sit.
• The phrase "dismantle the entire ecosystem" covers financing, safe havens and radicalisation as well as the attackers themselves. RM linked terrorism to lost investment and to youth radicalisation [1].
• India's position has stayed the same across forums: Qingdao Defence Ministers' meeting ("every act of terrorism is criminal & unjustifiable") [6], Bishkek CHS ("no double standards whatsoever") [4], and Dushanbe CHG [1].

Geopolitical / Connectivity

• India backs the INSTC and Chabahar Port as ways to connect Central Asia with wider markets [1][5].
• RM said connectivity must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that projects not built on these principles "will not be sustainable" [1][4]. Analysis: this is India's standard implicit objection to BRI/CPEC, which passes through PoK.
• India wants connectivity to go beyond physical links: simpler customs, digital documentation, better logistics and interoperable digital solutions [1].

Economic

• RM pointed to an uncertain global economy: geopolitical tensions, trade and supply-chain disruption, energy and food security, and technological divides [1].
• India supported the PMTEC (Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation) Action Plan 2026–2030 [1].
• India's outreach to Central Asia included a symposium on financing infrastructure projects in Central Asia (Mumbai, Oct 2026) and the first SCO Asian Economic Dialogue [1].

Governance / Institutional

• India asked that the SCO stick to sovereign equality, consensus and mutual respect [1].
• RM said "a greater number of institutions does not necessarily translate into greater achievements". New mechanisms should meet clearly identified needs and avoid duplication [1]. Analysis: this signals caution about China-led expansion of SCO institutions.
• The new permanent bodies, he said, will only be as effective as their coordination and timely execution [1].

Technological / Developmental (soft power)

• RM presented Digital Public Infrastructure, India's start-up ecosystem and women-led development as models for the region [1].
• He also cited India's global initiatives: ISA, CDRI, Mission LiFE and the Global Biofuel Alliance [1].

Cultural

• India invited members to the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum, which it will host later in 2026 [1].
• Earlier precedent: Varanasi was the first SCO Cultural & Tourism Capital (2022–23) [3].

6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)

• 31 Aug–1 Sep 2025: 25th CHS, Tianjin. PM introduced the three-pillar vision and backed Chabahar and INSTC [5].
• 31 Aug–1 Sep 2026: 26th CHS, Bishkek (25th anniversary). Members decided to make the Universal Centre (Tashkent) and Anti-Drug Centre (Dushanbe) permanent bodies [1][4].
• Oct 2026: India held a symposium in Mumbai on financing Central Asian infrastructure. The first SCO Asian Economic Dialogue also took place [1].
• 18 Oct 2026: PIB curtain-raiser announced the RM's visit. Stated agenda: trade, economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges [2].
• 20 Oct 2026: 25th CHG in Dushanbe adopted the Joint Communiqué, Budget 2027 and the PMTEC Action Plan 2026–30 [1].
• Later in 2026: India is due to host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum [1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• 25th SCO CHG venue: Dushanbe, Tajikistan, 19–20 Oct 2026 [2].
• India was represented by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh. The usual representative at the CHG is the EAM [1][3].
• The CHG approves the SCO annual budget. The CHS is the supreme body [3].
• SCO founded 15 June 2001. The Shanghai-5 dates from April 1996 [3].
• Uzbekistan was the only founding member that was not part of the Shanghai-5 [3].
• India got Observer status in 2005 (Astana), the admission decision came in 2015 (Ufa), and full membership in 2017 (Astana) [3].
• Iran became a member at the summit India hosted virtually on 4 Jul 2023. Belarus joined on 4 Jul 2024 in Astana [3].
• SCO official languages: Russian and Chinese only. English is not one [3].
• RATS Executive Committee headquarters: Tashkent. Secretariat: Beijing [3].
• New permanent bodies: Universal Centre in Tashkent and Anti-Drug Centre in Dushanbe [1].
• India contributes 5.9% of the SCO budget [3].
• PMTEC Action Plan covers 2026–2030 [1].
• India chaired the 19th CHG (virtual, 30 Nov 2020) under VP Venkaiah Naidu [3].
• SECURE SCO was India's acronym for its 2022–23 presidency [3].
• Observers: Afghanistan and Mongolia. There are 14 Dialogue Partners [3].

8. Why One 'No' Can Stop Any SCO Statement on Terror

• The SCO only speaks when all ten members agree
• In Dushanbe, the RM asked the SCO to keep working by consensus (every member must agree, so any one member can block a text) [1].

• This same rule can stop India's own terror agenda. The other side of the table includes Pakistan, the country India accuses of cross-border terror.

• Qingdao 2025 shows how a statement can collapse

• At the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao (June 2025), the draft declaration did not condemn the Pahalgam attack [8].
• The RM refused to sign it [8].

• MEA later told the Rajya Sabha that Qingdao had no agreed outcome document because members did not reach consensus [7].

• The same rule gives India a shield

• Consensus also lets India block a text it dislikes. That is how India stopped a statement that left out Pahalgam.
• So India is defending the rule that sometimes blocks it. The rule protects India as much as it limits India.

9. Strong Words on Paper, Slow Action on Named Terrorists

• Getting the right words took only a few months
• Two months after Qingdao, the Tianjin Declaration (Sep 2025) strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack. It said perpetrators and facilitators must be brought to justice [8].

• It also rejected double standards on terrorism [8]. Pakistan and China signed that text too.

• Why the words did not change much

• A declaration does not name any person or group, and it carries no penalty.

• The real test is listing a named terrorist for sanctions. Here a single country can still block action.

• The Masood Azhar case shows the gap

• India pushed for years to list Masood Azhar under the UN 1267 Sanctions Committee (the UN body that freezes the assets of, and bans travel by, named terrorists). The request was pending from 2009 until May 2019 [9].
• A lecture hosted by MEA notes that Beijing repeatedly tried to block this listing [10].
• So a country can sign "no double standards" at the SCO and still block action on a named terrorist at the UN. This is the gap India's "entire ecosystem" line is aimed at.

10. The Case for Leaving the SCO, and Why India Stays

• The strongest argument for leaving
• China and Pakistan are both full members. Each can block any text India wants [3][7].
• Qingdao ended with no document at all [7]. India's objection to connectivity projects that ignore sovereignty also gets no support in the group [1].

• Critics say India gains legitimacy for nobody but its rivals by sitting there.

• What is right about this argument

• India cannot use the SCO to punish Pakistan or get a terrorist listed. Real listing still happens at the UN [9].

• India's push for fewer new institutions shows it does not control where the group is heading [1].

• Why India stays anyway

• The SCO is the only body where India sits at one table with Russia and all the Central Asian states except Turkmenistan. The Central Asian members are the ones that matter for INSTC and Chabahar [1][3].
• Staying does produce results: the Tianjin Declaration condemned Pahalgam with Pakistan's signature on it [8].
• Inside the group, India keeps its own veto. Outside, it would have no say over texts on Afghanistan, terror or connectivity.

11. What India Can Push For Next

• India should keep refusing weak texts, as at Qingdao
• The Qingdao refusal [8] was followed by a stronger Tianjin text [8].

• This shows that refusing to sign can raise the price of leaving out cross-border terror.

• MEA should keep using other forums alongside the SCO

• After Pahalgam, India got condemnation from the UNSC press statement (25 Apr 2025), the Quad foreign ministers and the BRICS declaration [7].

• Getting the same language in many forums isolates the holdout inside the SCO.

• India should turn SCO words into UN listings

• The Azhar listing finally came in 2019. India worked closely with its partners in the UN Security Council to get it [9].
• The SCO's "no double standards" line can be quoted back at members when they block a 1267 listing.

12. Anchors for Answers

• Data: India pays 5.9% of the SCO budget and has quota posts in both the Secretariat and RATS [3]
• Report/Committee: MEA reply in the Rajya Sabha (2025), Q. No. 567: the Qingdao Defence Ministers' Meeting had no agreed outcome document because members did not reach consensus [7]
• Law/Case: UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee. Masood Azhar was listed in May 2019, after the request had been pending since 2009 [9]
• Comparison: Qingdao (June 2025) ended with no statement, while the Tianjin Declaration (Sep 2025) condemned Pahalgam and rejected double standards [7][8]

13. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India; effect of other countries' policies on India's interests; India and Central Asia ("Connect Central Asia").
• GS-III: Linkages between development and extremism; terror financing; security challenges in border areas.
• Possible question stems: 1. India's insistence on 'no double standards' on terrorism faces structural limits in the SCO's consensus-based framework. Critically examine. (GS-II, 15 marks) 2. Discuss the significance of the SCO for India's Central Asia policy in light of INSTC and Chabahar, and the challenge posed by sovereignty-violating connectivity projects. (GS-II) 3. Dismantling the 'ecosystem' of terrorism needs more than kinetic action. Discuss with reference to multilateral mechanisms such as SCO-RATS and FATF. (GS-III)

14. Related Topics to Study Next

• SCO-RATS (Tashkent): the SCO's existing counter-terrorism body, which the new Universal Centre is meant to complement.
• INSTC and Chabahar Port: the two corridors India named in Dushanbe.
• BRI/CPEC and India's sovereignty objection: the context behind the "territorial integrity" line on connectivity.
• India–Central Asia Summit / Connect Central Asia policy: Central Asia is the SCO's geographic core.
• CICA, BRICS and CSTO: overlapping Eurasian groupings that are often confused with the SCO.
• FATF and the "No Money for Terror" conference: the terror-financing side of the "ecosystem" argument.
• India's DPI diplomacy (UPI, India Stack): the soft-power offer India made to SCO members.
• ISA, CDRI, Global Biofuel Alliance, Mission LiFE: India-led global initiatives the RM cited.

15. NCERT Concepts to Revise

• Sovereignty (Polity): India's core objection: connectivity projects must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, and SCO works on sovereign equality.
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (Geography): The 'sovereignty-violating connectivity' remark is aimed at CPEC, which passes through territory India claims.
• Belt and Road Initiative (Geography): India's objection to BRI, of which CPEC is part, explains its stand on connectivity in the SCO.
• International North-South Transport Corridor (Geography): India's preferred alternative connectivity route to Central Asia and Russia, which it backed at Dushanbe.
• Chabahar port (Geography): India's Iran-based port giving access to Central Asia and Afghanistan bypassing Pakistan; named as a key connectivity project.
• Economic sanctions (Economy): Helps explain the UN 1267 listing of Masood Azhar, which freezes assets and bans travel.

16. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• CHS vs CHG numbering: the 25th CHS was in Tianjin (2025) and the 26th CHS in Bishkek (2026). The 25th CHG was in Dushanbe (2026). Count the two councils separately [1][4][5].
• Who attends: the PM attends the CHS and the EAM usually attends the CHG. The RM attending in 2026 was unusual. Do not confuse this with the separate SCO Defence Ministers' meeting, which the RM attends every year [3][6].
• Permanent bodies: before 2026 there were only two (Beijing Secretariat and Tashkent RATS). The Universal Centre is in Tashkent and the Anti-Drug Centre in Dushanbe, so don't swap them [1][3].
• Official languages: only Russian and Chinese. English is not an SCO official language [3].
• India's membership year: 2017 (Astana), not 2015. Ufa 2015 was only the decision to admit [3].