India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, will represent the country at the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). The meeting is scheduled for 19–20 October 2026 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
Meeting Agenda
The meeting’s agenda includes multilateral cooperation in trade, the economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges. The participating governments are also expected to review ongoing cooperation initiatives and consider decisions on the SCO’s financial and institutional functioning. India engages in SCO mechanisms through areas such as startups and innovation, digital public infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges. The CHG is a forum for the heads of government of member states to discuss shared concerns and economic cooperation.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The SCO was established in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, Iran joined in 2023, and Belarus joined in 2024. The organisation has ten member states. The SCO’s official languages are Chinese and Russian. Its permanent bodies include the Secretariat in Beijing and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in Tashkent. RATS coordinates cooperation among member states against terrorism, separatism and extremism.
SCO Membership and Institutions
The Council of Heads of State is the SCO’s highest decision-making body. The Council of Heads of Government considers economic cooperation and approves the organisation’s budget. The SCO Charter, signed in 2002, sets out the organisation’s objectives, principles and institutional framework. The previous CHG meeting took place in Moscow on 18 November 2025. India was represented by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Important Facts for Exams
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- The SCO was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by six states: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
- The SCO Secretariat is located in Beijing, while RATS is based in Tashkent.
- India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO in 2017.
- The SCO’s official languages are Chinese and Russian.
India’s participation in the 2026 CHG meeting will be represented by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The meeting is scheduled to be held in Dushanbe on 19 and 20 October 2026.
