This paper analyzes the role of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as an effective instrument for regional security, cooperation and integration between Central and South Asia. It has the capacity to counter both traditional and non-traditional security threats. The presence of both Central Asian and South Asian states as members actually complement each other. As both face similar security issue i.e. terrorism. Energy Security of both regions is the biggest complementary factor and have bright prospects of cooperation under SCO. Moreover, the presence of China and Russia, two major regional powers having aspiration for regional integration makes it an attractive option for carrying out the regional stability and deeper integration. The role of SCO seems to be expanding in the wake of this regional integration, where cooperation between China and Russia have a spillover effect on the whole region further strengthening through cooperation in security, energy and other economic and trade matters.

Central Asias China growing interdependence and fading role of Russia has provoked contentious debates about the growing strategic imbalance in the region. The empirical data in this research paper demonstrates that the domestic, geostrategic and economic interests motivate the nature of China Central Asia and Russia Central Asia relationship. Chinas pragmatic approach for establishing a comprehensive regional policy based on multilateral as well as bilateral relationships in all spheres has given considerable leverage to China and an alternative to Russia which has not been able to evolve a comprehensive policy for the region despite its longstanding political, ethnic, cultural, economic and security relationship with Central Asia. Both powers have similar objectives but different approaches with quite a distinguishable outcome. This study is an effort to analyze the implications of growing interdependence between Chinese and Central Asian states for Russia in the absence of a coherent and comprehensive policy for the region.