SCO is not an anti-Western club. India’s presence is a guarantee against it

India’s Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane was in Astana, Kazakhstan, last week, leading a delegation for the annual meeting of defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states. New Delhi forcefully advocated for zero tolerance toward terrorism , emphasising the need for urgent and decisive action. It stressed upon the organisation to take a strong stand against terrorism and work toward eliminating this threat from the SCO region. With India’s global economic stature rapidly increasing amid the ongoing geopolitical contestation in the multipolar world, it has become imperative for New Delhi to be proactive at key multilateral fora. The SCO is critical for India to advance its priorities for peace and prosperity in its northern periphery and broader Eurasia.