Basim Reza: India's blocking of Azerbaijan"s entry into SCO runs counter to 'Shanghai Spirit'

India's decision to block Azerbaijan's entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization runs counter to the "Shanghai Spirit," as well as the multilateral spirit which undermines the very fabric of the organization, Pakistani political scientist Basim Reza told Report.

"India's decision to block Azerbaijan's entry into the SCO reflects how New Delhi pulls bilateral rivalries into multilateral forums. New Delhi's move, widely linked to Baku's close ties with Pakistan, runs counter to the 'Shanghai Spirit,' as well as the multilateral spirit which undermines the very fabric of the organization," Reza said.

According to him, Pakistan, by vetoing Armenia's entry into the SCO, thereby made it clear to India that such actions against Azerbaijan will not go unanswered.

"From Islamabad's perspective, this partnership between Pakistan and Azerbaijan is unwavering, and Pakistan values Azerbaijan's strategic importance in the region. In a mirrored move, Pakistan has also opposed Armenia's SCO membership bid-signaling that it will not allow unilateral actions by India to go unanswered. This also comes at a point when Pakistan established diplomatic relations with Armenia, a calculated move that shows pragmatism as a priority over coercive diplomacy," Reza said.