The Tianjin Declaration

Source: DD News

Subject: International Organisation

Context: At the 2025 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, India joined other SCO members in endorsing the Tianjin Declaration, committing to deepen cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance and capacity building.

About The Tianjin Declaration:

• What it is? The Tianjin Declaration is the outcome document adopted by the SCO Council of Heads of States at the 2025 Tianjin Summit, outlining collective positions on security, development, technology, and institutional reforms.

• The Tianjin Declaration is the outcome document adopted by the SCO Council of Heads of States at the 2025 Tianjin Summit, outlining collective positions on security, development, technology, and institutional reforms.

• Key outcomes:

• AI cooperation framework: Emphasised that all countries have equal rights to develop and use AI, aligning with the UN General Assembly resolution on AI capacity building. Risk mitigation in AI: SCO members committed to improving security, accountability, transparency, inclusiveness, trustworthiness and fairness of AI systems. Roadmap adoption: Supported implementation of the SCO AI Cooperation Roadmap to guide joint research, standards and capacity building. Regional AI centre: Welcomed the UNGA resolution proposing a Regional AI Centre in Dushanbe, strengthening Central Asia’s digital ecosystem.

• AI cooperation framework: Emphasised that all countries have equal rights to develop and use AI, aligning with the UN General Assembly resolution on AI capacity building.

• Risk mitigation in AI: SCO members committed to improving security, accountability, transparency, inclusiveness, trustworthiness and fairness of AI systems.

• Roadmap adoption: Supported implementation of the SCO AI Cooperation Roadmap to guide joint research, standards and capacity building.

• Regional AI centre: Welcomed the UNGA resolution proposing a Regional AI Centre in Dushanbe, strengthening Central Asia’s digital ecosystem.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO):

• What it is? The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental organisation focused on regional security, economic cooperation and people-to-people ties across Eurasia.

• The SCO is a permanent intergovernmental organisation focused on regional security, economic cooperation and people-to-people ties across Eurasia.

• Established in: 15 June 2001, Shanghai (evolved from the Shanghai Five mechanism).

• Headquarters:

• Secretariat: Beijing, China RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure): Tashkent, Uzbekistan

• Secretariat: Beijing, China

• RATS (Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure): Tashkent, Uzbekistan

• Members:

• 10 Member States: India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus 2 Observer States: Afghanistan, Mongolia

• 10 Member States: India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus

• 2 Observer States: Afghanistan, Mongolia

• Strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good-neighbourliness. Promote cooperation in politics, security, economy, science & technology, energy, transport, culture and education.

• Strengthen mutual trust, friendship and good-neighbourliness.

• Promote cooperation in politics, security, economy, science & technology, energy, transport, culture and education.

• Key functions and mechanisms:

• Security cooperation: Counter-terrorism, separatism and extremism through RATS. Economic cooperation: Trade, connectivity, energy and infrastructure initiatives. Technology & innovation: Growing focus on digital economy, cybersecurity and AI. Decision-making bodies: Council of Heads of States (CHS): supreme body Council of Heads of Government (CHG): economic and budgetary matters Council of National Coordinators: coordination mechanism Official languages: Russian and Chinese.

• Security cooperation: Counter-terrorism, separatism and extremism through RATS.

• Economic cooperation: Trade, connectivity, energy and infrastructure initiatives.

• Technology & innovation: Growing focus on digital economy, cybersecurity and AI.

• Decision-making bodies: Council of Heads of States (CHS): supreme body Council of Heads of Government (CHG): economic and budgetary matters Council of National Coordinators: coordination mechanism

• Council of Heads of States (CHS): supreme body

• Council of Heads of Government (CHG): economic and budgetary matters

• Council of National Coordinators: coordination mechanism

• Official languages: Russian and Chinese.