Leaders of China, Russia, India and other states gather in Kyrgyzstan for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit aimed at countering US influence. The meeting, dominated by Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, offers Russia and Iran a platform to deepen non-Western ties, while India and Turkey use the forum for strategic signalling and to balance relations with Western alliances.
The leaders of China, Russia and India are among the heads of state gathering in Kyrgyzstan this week for the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a group that has positioned itself as a counterweight to US global influence.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to attend the summit in Bishkek, the capital of the Central Asian nation.
Several one-on-one meetings are scheduled on the sidelines, including talks between Putin and Xi on Monday and between the Russian leader and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, the day of the official SCO sessions.
Russia, now 4½ years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Iran, six months into its war with the United States and Israel, view the summit as an important platform for strengthening relations with non-Western partners.
The SCO was founded in 2001 by China, Russia and four Central Asian states as a security forum. Over the past quarter-century, it has grown in size and influence, although its goals and programmes remain vague and its global recognition relatively low.
It now has 10 members: Russia, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Many other countries hold “dialogue partner” status.
Along with Russia, China has promoted the SCO as an alternative to Western-aligned organisations such as the G7. In recent years, Beijing has sought to expand the organisation's scope and influence, pledging development and financial assistance.
China's Foreign Ministry said last week that the organisation had successfully “explored a new path for regional cooperation”. Beijing has consistently promoted the idea of an alternative world order with Moscow's support.
For many SCO members, the summit will be an opportunity to demonstrate that they maintain strong ties on the global stage despite deteriorating relations with the West.
The organisation is not, however, a unified political or military bloc. Analysts note that its members have significant disagreements and distinct strategic interests.
For countries such as India, experts say the summit is likely to be more about optics and strategic signalling than substantive outcomes.
The forum is heavily influenced by China and includes Pakistan as a member, with both countries being strategic rivals of India.
Dinakar Peri, a fellow in security studies at Carnegie India, said the SCO gives India a seat at the table in a region increasingly shaped by competition among major powers. It allows New Delhi to protect its interests, track shifting geopolitical currents and project itself as a reliable stakeholder.
“While it may not entirely shape the agenda, it gives New Delhi a first-hand view of the region and allows it to hedge its position with others,” Peri said.
Turkey, which holds partner status within the SCO, also seeks to use the platform to strengthen its position in the region.
It views SCO membership as part of a balanced foreign policy that seeks to maintain its traditional ties with the West through NATO while strengthening its influence across Eurasia.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who brought Turkey into the SCO as a “dialogue partner” in 2012, has repeatedly said he wants Turkey to become a permanent member.
While Turkey maintains close trade ties with the European Union under a 1995 trade agreement, its bid for EU membership has stalled for more than 25 years.