India has refused to sign the SCO Joint statement for economic development plan of 2030. While details remain vague, most, if not all attendees have signed the resolution, which means India remains a stand-out member of the SCO. With the growing bonhomie between China, Russia and all Central Asian countries as well as India’s recent signings with the United States, India’s position in this global divide is even more unclear. However, it does seem that India is shifting slightly towards the US.
That being said, this is not really a new stance for India. Even during the Cold War, India maintained its neutral position, despite shifting slightly towards the USSR then. Today, India has to take a precarious position with its economy tied into the United States and its geography edged between Pakistan and China. The Middle East Nations also encircle the area on a larger scale and India is much closer to the China-Russia bloc than EU-US. As such, in the event of an all-out war, which looks heavily inevitable with each passing year, India’s position is one that might be under stress.
In addition, India has also rejected the Belt and Road Initiative that has been endorsed by every other SCO member. The Belt and Road Initiative is China’s economic child in an attempt to revive the ancient silk route. It is also an attempt to establish new trade corridors and according to them, empower all the countries through which it passes. However, the control would be heavily with China and it would grant China a huge boost in terms of soft power and influence over other countries.
"Reaffirming their support for China's 'Belt and Road Initiative' (BRI) initiative, the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Russian Federation, Republic of Tajikistan and Republic of Uzbekistan note the ongoing work to jointly implement this project, including efforts to link the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union and BRI," it said.
The next few months will be crucial to see where the world politics goes ahead. With reports of a nuclear disaster imminent in Ukraine and a potential NATO entry either before or after the NATO summit, things might take a turn for the worse.
For now, India has maintained its stance and can switch to either side based on its belief of a few core principles. Not tying itself to any one side has granted India immense power on the negotiating table.
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