- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation or Shanghai Pact, is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance.
- The creation was announced on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Charter, formally establishing the organisation, was signed in June 2002 and entered into force on 19 September 2003.
- The original five nations at the time of formation - China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan were previously members of the Shanghai Five group, founded on 26 April 1996
- The organisation has expanded its membership to eight countries when India and Pakistan joined SCO as full members on 9 June 2017 at a summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.
- The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making body in the SCO
- It meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation.
- Military exercises are also regularly conducted among members to promote cooperation and coordination against terrorism and other external threats, and to maintain regional peace and stability.
- The SCO is the largest regional organisation in the world in terms of geographical coverage and population
- Cover three-fifths of the Eurasian continent and nearly half of the human population.
Member States
- China
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Russia
- Tajikistan
- Uzbekistan
- India
- Pakistan
Observer States
- Afghanistan
- Belarus
- Iran
- Mongolia
Dialogue Partners
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Cambodia
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
- Turkey