Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to welcome his closest international allies this weekend for what is expected to be one of the most significant Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summits in years, Bloomberg reported. The gathering comes at a moment of heightened global instability, with Russia’s war in Ukraine, rising friction in South Asia, and increasing pressure from Washington shaping the geopolitical backdrop.
While many SCO members — including Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran — arrive at the summit seeking assurances after enduring conflict and diplomatic rifts, the bloc’s track record of inaction during past crises raises doubts over whether Xi can deliver meaningful security guarantees. Instead, observers expect the Chinese leader to focus on charting the SCO’s course for the next decade, positioning it as a counterweight to US-led alliances.
The summit, held in the Chinese port city of Tianjin, marks the first time in years that leaders such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will sit together with Xi at the same table. Belarus, newly admitted as the SCO’s 10th full member, further expands the group’s reach.
Analysts note that the scale of this year’s summit underscores China’s ambition to showcase its growing global profile. “This is also a statement of intent and demonstration of China’s growing profile and power — particularly in the context of US-China competition and suggestions of domestic economic malaise,” Dylan Loh, an assistant professor at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, told Bloomberg.
Beyond the plenary sessions, the spotlight will fall on bilateral meetings. Putin is expected to brief Xi and Modi on his recent talks with Donald Trump in Alaska, as Moscow seeks a path forward in Ukraine. Modi, meanwhile, will meet Xi to discuss efforts to stabilize ties after years of border tensions, though India has voiced objections over the SCO’s reluctance to condemn militant attacks in Kashmir.
For India, its alignment on the SCO’s final joint statement could be a telling signal. “Any language directly critical of the US would also be an important signal of a more meaningful pivot by Delhi toward Beijing and Moscow,” Jeremy Chan, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group, told Bloomberg.
Still, questions linger over the bloc’s effectiveness. Despite branding itself as a vehicle for regional security and cooperation, the SCO has consistently failed to act decisively — whether in response to US and Israeli strikes on Iran, clashes between India and Pakistan, or border disputes in Central Asia. As Eurasia Group’s Chan put it, “When the going gets tough, China is absent even for its friends.”
Even so, Xi sees the SCO as central to his effort to reshape global governance, alongside other China-backed platforms such as BRICS. Since its founding in 2001 by China, Russia, and four Central Asian states, the SCO has expanded rapidly to include 26 members, observers, and partners. Yet, experts caution that deep divisions and longstanding mistrust among key members may prevent the bloc from evolving into a true counterweight to NATO or the West.
“The SCO lacks common interests and trust between its major members,” said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. “All of this makes the SCO unlikely to coalesce into a bloc capable of challenging the US or Europe.”
