Q. ‘Virus of Conflict is affecting the functioning of the SCO’ In the light of the above statement point out the role of India in mitigating the problems.

Model Answer: 

The SCO’s functioning is increasingly hampered by a “virus of conflict,” notably paralyzing bilateral frictions like India-China border standoffs, India-Pakistan tensions, and Kyrgyz-Tajik clashes.

India’s Role in Mitigating SCO Conflicts

1. Advancing the ‘SECURE’ Vision: Propagating PM Modi’s framework of Security, Connectivity, and Unity to refocus member states on collective regional growth.
2. Strengthening Counter-Terrorism (SCO-RATS): Spearheading the 2023 New Delhi Declaration to combat radicalization, digital terror, and terror-financing collectively, bypassing bilateral blame-games.
3. Cultural Diplomacy: Leveraging civilizational ties to bridge trust deficits and foster people-to-people connections (e.g., Shared Buddhist Heritage exhibition, Varanasi as the first SCO Cultural Capital).
4. Transparent Connectivity: Promoting sovereignty-respecting regional initiatives (Chabahar Port, INSTC) to counter opaque debt-trap models (BRI) that breed geopolitical mistrust.
5. Insulating Multilateralism: Upholding the core Shanghai Spirit by consistently preventing the spillover of bilateral border disputes into the SCO’s developmental agenda.
6. Championing the Global South: Deflecting geopolitical rivalries by steering discussions toward shared, urgent socio-economic crises (food, fuel, and fertilizer security).

By prioritizing consensus building, transparent connectivity, and cultural affinities, India acts as a stabilizing anchor, preventing SCO’s fragmentation and ensuring its viability as a cooperative regional architecture.