Xi, Putin and Modi attend SCO summit in Bishkek

Leaders from China, Russia and India are attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31, with discussions centred on the grouping’s role amid efforts to counterbalance U.S. global influence.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are among the prominent leaders at the summit. The programme also includes one-on-one meetings, including talks between Putin and Xi and between Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The meetings highlight efforts by Russia and Iran to strengthen alliances with non-Western nations. The SCO was founded in 2001 by China, Russia and Central Asian states. It has since expanded to ten member countries, including Iran, Pakistan and Belarus.

China and Russia seek to promote the SCO as an alternative to Western-led groups such as the G7. However, internal divisions and differing member agendas have hindered unified action within the organisation.

For India, represented by Modi, the summit is described as serving more as a platform for diplomatic optics than policy-making. New Delhi is navigating regional rivalries involving China and Pakistan, adding complexity to its participation in the grouping.

Turkey, which has been a dialogue partner of the SCO since 2012, is pursuing full membership. Its approach is part of a balanced foreign policy that seeks to maintain ties with both NATO and Eurasian powers.

Despite its expanding membership, the SCO continues to face criticism over vague objectives and limited international visibility. The summit brings together countries seeking closer non-Western alignment, but the research does not indicate a unified policy outcome from the meeting.