ORGANISATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION (OIC)

4. Objective

• The main motive of the organization is to safeguard and protect the interest of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
• The organization was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco 25 September 1969 as a result of criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

5. Priority Areas

• India's relationship with Pakistan has always been tense and has a direct impact on India-OIC relations, with Pakistan being a founding member of the OIC. India has pushed for the OIC to accept India as a member, and Pakistan opposes India's entry into the OIC.
• India was invited to attend the first summit of the OIC 50 years ago in 1969 Morocco. But the Indian delegations had to return midway due to a withdrawal of the invitation after Pakistan's objection.
• In 2002, it was Qatar that first proposed observer status for India at the OIC foreign ministers' meets but Pakistan had consistently blocked the move.
• In 2018, Bangladesh along with Turkey proposed restructuring of the charter of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to pave way for the inclusion of Non-Muslim countries like India as an 'observer state'.
• For the first time in five decades, the United Arab Emirates invited the foreign minister of India Sushma Swaraj to attend the inaugural plenary 46th meeting of OIC foreign ministers. (Pakistan boycotted the meet).
• From the mid-1990s, when this contact Group was formed, it has issued several statements on behalf of Pakistan (On the Kashmir issue).
• The United Arab Emirates, for instance, conferred the "Order of Zayed", its highest civilian award on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than a week after New Delhi's moves on Article 370, and declared that Kashmir was India's internal matter.

7. OIC Stands on Kashmir

• The OIC has been generally supportive of Pakistan's stand on Kashmir and has issued statements criticizing the alleged Indian "atrocities" in the state. 
• However, New Delhi has long been used to combating these statements and has consistently and forcefully put forward its position.
• Importantly, Pakistan's position in the OIC aside, New Delhi is hardly friendless in the organization.
• India has excellent relations individually with almost all member nations- and this is a reason why it can mostly afford to not take the statements issued by the group as a whole seriously.

For Prelims & Mains