134
only as a strong economic tool but also a political and
diplomatic one.
2) Possible Outcomes of SCO’s Expansion
After India and Pakistan’s inclusion in SCO in 2017,
the organization’s growth will be under spotlight both in the
region and around the globe. These new admissions will be
reflected on Turkey’s relations with SCO. In fact, Pakistan-
Turkey relations are quite solid and India
is among the rising
powers of the world. Today, India is known for its nuclear
capacity, high development rate, growing economy,
population of 1,3 billion (India’s population will match
China’s by 2025), land surface area of 3,287 million square
meters (the world’s 7
th
largest) and high energy
consumption.
India and Pakistan’s admission to SCO is indeed a
big deal given that India had serious disputes with both
China and Pakistan in the past. On the other hand, some
reconciliation seems to have been reached nowadays.
According to several specialists, as two sides who had
disputes in the past, the rapprochement between China and
India under the umbreall of SCO can be a game changer not
only in the region but also globally. In fact, as World Bank
data shows, the 7
th
largest economy of the world in 2015,
India has become the 3
rd
richest country of the world based
on International Money Fund’s (IMF) study on GDPs
around the world in 2016. Supposing that necessary
structural arrangements are made, India will become the 3
rd
largest economy of the world by 2040.
One of BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India,
China and South Africa), India maintains close ties with the
USA, the UK and Australia. There
is a dense Indian diaspora
in these countries. It also sustains strong relations with
Russia historically and politically. It adopted a policy of
liberalizing the economy and making it compatible with the
world since mid-1980s. Significant steps have been taken
since 1990s in this sphere. Having adopted a mixed
economy until then, India decided to diminish government
interventionism in economy and pave the way for domestic
and foreign private capital. A high growth rate has been
achieved since 2000s. The growth rate was 7,5 between
2009 and 2014. Production volume, financial efficiency and