🌏 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a political, economic, and security alliance founded in 2001. It primarily includes countries from Central Asia and neighboring regions. As of now, China, India, and Pakistan are all member states of the SCO.

• Founding Members (2001): China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

• Joined later: India and Pakistan (2017), Iran (2023)

Japan, however, has never been a member of the SCO. It is geopolitically more aligned with Western alliances like the G7 and QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue), and maintains strategic distance from SCO due to its strong ties with the U.S. and concerns over China and Russia’s influence.