This SCO meeting is crucial for Modi as he will be meeting the Chinese President also only a few days before the scheduled meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group on June 19.China has so far indicated its unwillingness to support India’s membership of NSG but its objection is not unequivocal, China is looking for some clarifications which can only be given in the course of cordial discussions. That way, the first meeting for the Indian PM at SCO summit as the representative of a new member country, assumes special significance in view of delicate issues with both Pakistan and China.

Last time Narendra Modi had a meeting with the Pakistan PM was on December 25, 2015 when Modi made a surprise stopover in Lahore en route Delhi from Kabul. Only a week later on January 2, 2016, an attack on an IAF base in Pathankot by Pak inspired militants destroyed the peace process between the two countries. In the last seventeen months, the relations have only deteriorated with the situation becoming volatile in Kashmir and Indian Government taking the position that ISI is backing the increased activities of the separatists in the Kashmir valley.

In such a scenario, there is a pressure on the Indian PM from his party BJP not to talk on the position that terror and talks cannot go together. But Modi being a powerful PM and having a mind of his own, may give a surprise by having serious talks with his Pak counterpart. Significantly, China and Russia also want that Modi and Sharif have political discussions at the SCO summit. China is the main country behind SCO and the Chinese position is that both India and Pakistan are China’s important neighbours and important countries in South Asia. China hopes that India and Pakistan can enhance mutual trust and improve relations through more dialogues. A Chinese spokesperson has said on the eve of the summit that the talks and dialogue between India and Pakistan are conducive to not only the two countries themselves, but also to regional prosperity and development.

Russian President Putin wiill be playing a major role in the summit and it is quite likely that he can play an important role in facilitating the process of dialogue. President Putin has rapport with the Pak PM and Russia in the recent days, has invited some veiled criticism from the Indian government for helping Pakistan. But Putin has maintained that that is not a big matter and Russia’s relations with India are far more permanent and strategic and it will go on expanding only. At the St. Petersburg summit on June 1, Putin assured Modi about total support on NSG and he is supposed to talk to the Chinese also on this issue so that China relents on its opposition to the NSG.

That way, Indian Prime Minister should make full use of Putin’s services at the Astana summit to put pressure on both Pakistan and China. Beijing headquartered SCO focuses mostly on security related issues though in the recent meetings, the issue of economic collaboration is also getting focus in view of huge oil and gas reserves in the member countries. SCO comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikstan and Uzbekistan as full members. Now apart from these six members, two new full members will be admitted at Astana summit- India and Pakistan who are holding observer status as of now. Other countries who have observer status are Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia.

At the SCO summit, Afghanistan as a country with observer status, is expected to be vocal against Pakistan on the issues of terrorism. Afghanistan govt has accused Pakistan inspired militants for the recent bomb blasts in Kabul resulting to the death of eighty persons. Afghanistan may support Indian views on Pak help to the militants who are engaged in terror activities in the region. Indian officials can publicise the Afghan views on Pak complicity to the other members of the summit.

In 2015 SCO summit in Ufa in Russia, a formal resolution was adopted starting the procedure to admit India and Pakistan as full members in this security grouping. Russian president Putin took the initiative. Both the countries signed a memorandum of obligations to join the organization in last year’s summit in Tashkent. With India and Pakistan’s membership, the SCO will include countries encompassing over 40 per cent of the world’s population.(IPA Service)