The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a permanent intergovernmental international organization established on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai by Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It was preceded by the mechanism of the Shanghai Five. Later in 2002, the Charter of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was signed at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State in St. Petersburg, entering into force on September 19, 2003.

The SCO adheres to the “Shanghai Spirit”, namely mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations and pursuit of common development.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation consists of two permanent bodies: the SCO Secretariat in Beijing and the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent. Since its inception, the SCO has emerged as a critical platform for regional security and counter-terrorism efforts among its member states, prioritizing cooperation over counter-terrorism as one of the core facets.

The organisation’s counter terrorism mechanisms are designed to address certain evolving threats posed by terrorism, separatism and extremism, commonly referred to as the ‘three evils’ within the SCO framework.

Historical Context and Strategic Framework

The organisation’s commitment to effectively counter-terrorism finds its roots in the vulnerability of the region to extremist ideologies and cross-border terrorism. Central Asia, in particular has been vulnerable to many such insurgent groups such as the Hizb ut Tahri, operating in countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is in such a context that the SCO’s founding principles of collective security and mutual cooperation to combat these groups, are laid (Wang, 2018).

The “Shanghai Convention on Combatting Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism” (2001) lays the foundation for this collective effort. It lays the groundwork for member states to collaborate on critical issues of intelligence sharing, capacity building and joint operations with the common vision of counter-terrorism.

Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS)

The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure is a permanent organ of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, tasked primarily with coordinating counterterrorism efforts among member countries. An agreement for the establishment of this Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure was signed during a meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States on June 7, 2002, in St. Petersburg.

Since its inception, the RATS has made significant contribution to the development of the Organisation and has become its supporting pillar and coordinating center in countering the “three evils” at the regional and global levels. RATS conducts joint exercises and trainings, exchanges information and develops strategies to counter terrorist and extremist groups, as well as combating drug trafficking in the region. Other critical areas of cooperation such as information security and responding to challenges and threats on the internet were officially accorded as a separate are of the work of RATS in 2023.

RATS cooperates effectively with many international organisations such as the United Nations and Interpol, the International Drug Control Agency, the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and the Center for Internet Security, while also developing partnerships with other countries and regions to collaboratively address security problems and threats emanating in the region.

Over the years, RATS has made significant contributions to regional security by organizing joint counter terrorism exercises, facilitating the extradition of terrorists, and maintaining a database of terrorist organisations and individuals.

SCO Counter Terrorism Convention

Formerly known as the Convention on Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, the SCO Counter-Terrorism Convention is reflective of the organisation’s commitment to collective security and stability. The convention found its first articulation through the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).

A significant strength of the SCO Counter-Terrorism Convention (SCO-CTC) lies in its ability to consolidate regional counter-terrorism efforts. The SCO-CTC encourages active collaboration in intelligence sharing and operational coordination, deemed essential in addressing transnational terrorist networks. Joint exercises such as “Peace Mission” for example, conducted under the aegis of the SCO stimulate coordinated responses to terrorist attacks, thereby fostering trust and interoperability among the armed forces of member states (Hale, 2018).

However, the convention comes with its fair bit of challenges. Critics argue that the broad definitions of terrorism and separatism provide member states the leeway to justify crackdowns on political dissent. An example of this is China’s suppression of the Uyghur population under the garb of countering extremism. This is reflective of states using the abstract connotations of objectives to legitimize domestic policies (Clarke, 2020).

Furthermore, the lack of cooperation bilaterally in the context of India and Pakistan dims the possibility of collaborative approaches the SCO could take. This fragmentation weakens the prioritized collective response to counter terrorism, as mutual distrust prevents meaningful cooperation and exchange of intelligence (Pantucci & Lain, 2020).

Despite the challenges presented, the SCO’s counter terrorism framework represents an important model of regional security cooperation. Contrary to the approach taken by Western-led initiatives that emphasise military solutions, the SCO incorporates developmental and ideological dimensions by addressing the root causes of extremism, such as poverty and lack of education. The organization has also promoted de-radicalization programs, including education and community engagement initiatives that aim to prevent the spread of extremist ideologies (Bhattacharya, 2021).

Relevance to India

India was granted Observer status at the July 2005 Astana Summit, subsequently participating in all SCO forums open to observers. Following this, India formally submitted an application for its full membership to the then SCO Chair, Tajikistan, prior to the summit in Dushanbe in September 2014. The next SCO Summit in July 2015 in Ufa, Russia, declared the initiation of the process of accession of India’s full membership with Pakistan.
India’s engagement with the SCO’s counter-terrorism mechanisms, particularly the RATS, is vital for enhancing the security framework. For India, intelligence cooperation is valuable as it provides access to critical intelligence on terrorist networks operating in the region. Sharing of databases and collaborating allows India to monitor terror financing, recruitment and logistical support networks.

The “Peace Mission” series enables Indian security forces to train along with counterparts and gain insights into diverse operational strategies and tactics, further enhancing India’s operational capacities in counterterrorism scenarios.

Additionally, India, with its growing digital infrastructure benefits from collective strategies and technologies shared within the SCO to secure its cyberspace, from radicalisation and counter-terrorism, which are emerging threats in this sphere.

Lastly, India’s strategic interests in Central Asia such as energy security and trade connectivity are closely tied to regional stability. The SCO’s efforts contribute to curbing instability from Afghanistan and other conflict zones into Central Asia. For India, stability is essential in order to advance its “Connect Central Asia” policy and to safeguard its strategic interests in the region.

Conclusion

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has developed an elaborate framework for its counter-terrorism initiatives. This underscores the importance attached to regional security and stability. However, despite its successes, the organisation suffers from a few drawbacks, emerging largely out of the stressed bilateral relationship between certain members like India and Pakistan. The success of the organisation in countering terrorism will largely be determined by the dynamics that play out between India, Pakistan and China and the geopolitics revolving around this rather tense relationship.

Sources:
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