Editor’s Note:
The SCO Tianjin Summit 2025 marks a significant milestone in fostering regional cooperation and growth among member states. As the founder Director of the Centre for South Asia and International Studies (CSAIS), Brig.(R) Akhtar Nawaz Janjua highlighted the economic and development opportunities presented by this summit at an interactive session in Islamabad entitled ‘SCO Tianjin Summit-2025, Economic and Development Opportunities’. He talk focused on ‘Crucial Role of Think Tanks in Shaping the SCO’s Economic Future’. WNAM is honored to reproduce his speech here under:
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation finds itself at an enviable position conveying the message of a prosperous, peaceful, progressive world. While its foundation was built on security and mutual trust, the horizon of its cooperation is now dominated by a powerful, unifying force – The pursuit of shared destiny and economic prosperity.
The SCO, representing a significant portion of the world’s population, landmass, and economic potential, is not just a regional bloc; it is a continent of opportunity. Lets consider for a moment the sheer scale of the entity. SCO, in its full membership, represents a staggering 24% of our planet’s landmass and an incredible 43% of global humanity, that is over 3.4 billion souls. Economically, it is a paradox of immense potential and current disparity; while its nominal GDP stands at a formidable quarter of the world’s total, its purchasing power parity, which truly reflects its productive capacity and internal market strength, reaches a breathtaking 36% of the global economy. This is a bloc endowed with unparalleled energy reserves, strategic minerals, and agricultural land. Now, let us embark on a thought experiment … what if this collective of nations could principally transcend their historical and political differences? The result would be nothing short of a geopolitical earthquake, the emergence of an integrated, seamless market, a transformative alternative to the current global financial architecture, and a definitive shift to a multipolar world order. Yet, this future is obstructed by very real challenges, deepseated rivalries, economic asymmetries, and competing national visions. This is precisely where our work begins. This gap between staggering potential and complex reality is the critical space that think tanks must occupy. Think Tanks provide the neutral ground, the rigorous research, and the innovative policy frameworks to navigate these divergences, build bridges of trust, and forge a concrete pathway toward the SCO’s unprecedented economic future.
But how do we bridge the gap between this immense potential and tangible, inclusive economic growth? The answer lies not only in government directives or business agreements, but in the intellectual engine rooms that power modern diplomacy – Think Tanks. Think tanks are the architects of possibility. They are the neutral ground where ideas are born, policies are stress-tested, and long-term visions are crafted. In the context of the SCO, their role is nothing short of ‘The Most Important’.
Let me outline three key areas where their contribution is indispensable. First, they are the Pioneers of Policy Innovation. The economic challenges we face – from supply chain disruptions to financial integration and the digital divide – are complex. Governments are often constrained by immediate political and bureaucratic considerations. Think tanks, however, have the freedom to think decades ahead. They can conduct rigorous research to model the benefits of a unified SCO cooperation that transcends bilateral agreements. They can provide the blueprints that our leaders can then adapt and implement.
Second, they are the Builders of Bridges – the Track II Diplomats. Official dialogues, or Track I diplomacy, can sometimes be rigid. Think tanks facilitate Track II dialogues – informal, off-the-record conversations that bring together policymakers, academics, and business leaders from all member states. In these settings, misunderstandings can be dissolved over a tea break, and innovative partnerships can be sketched on a napkin. This brings to mind a telling moment at the 2020 SCO forum, where a consensus on connectivity seemed elusive. India, holding firm to its stance against BRI and the CPEC, advocated for inclusion of its connectivity projects in the joint statement. It was resolved in aseparate room on a cup of tea chit chat between the heads of the delegations. This episode underscores that while differences can be profound, they can be navigated through open communication and mutual respect. In nutshell Think Tanks can build the human networks of trust that are the bedrock of any successful undertaking.
Third, they are the Narrators of our Shared Story. The world often views the SCO through a narrow geopolitical lens. Think tanks have the power to reframe that narrative. Through publications, international conferences, and media engagement, they can broadcast a powerful story of the SCO not as an exclusive club, but as an open economic corridor of innovation, green technology, and mutual growth. This narrative attracts global investment, fosters international partnerships, and strengthens the collective brand. Now, speaking of building bridges and narratives, I would like to draw from my personal experience to highlight a stellar example from Pakistan.
A few years ago, the Centre for Global and Strategic Studies (CGSS) in Islamabad was a beacon of this very ethos. As its Senior Advisor and a Founding Director, I had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how a dynamic think tank can amplify a nation’s voice and create tangible linkages.
The CGSS was not confined to the walls of its office. It established a remarkable reach, engaging consistently with counterparts across the entire SCO region – from Moscow to Beijing, from Nur-Sultan to Tashkent. It wasn’t just about organizing events; it was about fostering genuine intellectual collaboration. This commitment was most evident on the platform of the SCO Forum. I had the honour of representing Pakistan from the platform of CGSS at four consecutive annual meetings, from the historic dialogues in Tashkent to the strategic convergences in Beijing. At each forum, CGSS was not a passive participant but an active contributor, presenting research on connectivity, economic security, and the Belt and Road Initiative’s synergy with SCO goals. We brought the perspective of
Pakistani academia and business to the highest echelons of SCO discourse, ensuring that the conversation was inclusive and representative. The work of CGSS exemplified how a think tank can become a regional asset, transforming a country’s strategic location into a hub of intellectual exchange and policy entrepreneurship.
So, what is the path forward? The legacy of institutions like CGSS and the work of many brilliant think tanks point the way. We must empower our think tanks. Governments and the SCO Secretariat can do this by commissioning joint research projects on pressing economic issues. We must integrate them more formally into the SCO ecosystem, perhaps through a dedicated advisory council of think tanks.
And most importantly, we must listen to them. Their evidence-based, long-term analyses are the compass that can guide the SCO through the complex economic currents of the 21st century.
The conomic destiny of the SCO is ours to shape. Let us ensure that our think tanks – the sharpest minds from Islamabad to Beijing, from Delhi to Moscow – are in the vanguard of this historic mission. Let their research be our roadmap, their dialogues our foundation, and their vision our inspiration.
