During the Astana Summit held on June 8, 2017, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) granted full membership status to India and Pakistan. As a result, the SCO now includes four defacto nuclear power states that increase the military and economic potential of the organization. However, it remains to be seen if the expanded size of the organization would have also equal growth performance in its geopolitical influence.
Abulkhairkhan Zhunisbek is a research fellow at the Eurasian Institute of the International H.A Yassawi Kazakh-Turkish University. He graduated from Abylai Khan Kazakh University of International Relations and World Languages with a Bachelor in International Relations. He obtained his master’s degree in Diplomatic Studies at the University of Oxford through the Bolashak scholarship. His thesis “ Political Economy of Oil: the case of Kazakhstan” received distinction mark. Prior to joining the ERI, he worked for governmental and international organizations.