India’s goal in joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is to enhance its global influence, believes Liu Zongyi, an associate researcher at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, writing for
Haiwainet.cn, a news site owned by
People’s Daily.
India's leaders realize that globalization will help them grow their economy, especially given the global trend of trade protectionism, Liu argues. With regional economic integration its primary pursuit, India expects the SCO network to enhance its connectedness with Central Asian countries as well as others further afield, the scholar says.
Security concerns also underpin India’s move, Liu claims, as a safe environment is vital to the nation's economic growth. The SCO could help India combat terrorism and extremism in neighboring areas, including in Afghanistan where they are viewed as a threat to regional security.
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