SCO Leaders Convene in Bishkek to Test Multipolar Order Amid Global Conflicts

Key points

• The two-day summit in Bishkek marks the SCO's 25th anniversary, with the motto 'Together for Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity.'
• Key attendees include Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, alongside leaders from Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.
• Agenda items include the US-Israel war on Iran, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the economic situation in Afghanistan.
• Discussions focus on the SCO Development Bank, the International North-South Transport Corridor, and the Northern Sea Route to bypass blocked maritime routes like the Strait of Hormuz.
• The SCO represents 43% of the world's population and 23% of the global economy, though it is not a cohesive anti-Western alliance.

Background

The SCO originated in 1996 as the 'Shanghai Five' to resolve border disputes among China, Russia, and Central Asian states. It expanded in 2001 to include Uzbekistan, added India and Pakistan in 2017, and welcomed Iran and Belarus in 2023 and 2024. Recent archive coverage highlights the bloc's growing role as a platform for strategic autonomy, particularly for India, which balances its Quad security ties with Washington against its SCO membership. The current summit follows a period of warming India-China relations and US tariff pressures that have pushed New Delhi to diversify its diplomatic engagements.

How outlets are covering it

Al Jazeera emphasizes the summit as a test of the 'multipolar world' vision, noting that while China and Russia seek to counter US dominance, India views the SCO as a platform for strategic autonomy rather than an anti-Western bloc. Analysts cited by Al Jazeera warn that China's peace proposals may remain rhetorical. France 24 frames the event as a direct counter-influence to the West, highlighting the deepening military and economic ties between Russia and Iran amidst US sanctions. AP News provides a factual overview of the attendance, confirming the presence of key heads of state and the bloc's expansion to include dialogue partners like Turkey and Saudi Arabia. There is a divergence in emphasis: Al Jazeera and France 24 focus on the geopolitical confrontation with the US, while Al Jazeera also highlights the internal frictions, such as India's refusal to endorse previous SCO statements condemning Israel and the differing views on cross-border terrorism between India and Pakistan.

Why it matters

The summit signals a shift in global power dynamics, with the SCO attempting to create alternative financial and trade architectures independent of Western institutions. The discussions on the SCO Development Bank and new transport corridors could reshape Eurasian trade routes, bypassing US-controlled maritime chokepoints. For the US, the event underscores the limitations of its unilateral foreign policy, as Global South nations seek to hedge their bets and maintain agency in a volatile geopolitical order. The outcome will test the cohesion of the bloc and its ability to translate rhetoric into substantive economic cooperation.

What to watch

Leaders are expected to discuss progress on the SCO Development Bank and Investment Fund, though no concrete agreements are guaranteed. Bilateral talks between Putin and Pezeshkian, and Modi and Putin, will likely focus on defense and trade. The summit may also address the Black Sea situation and Ukraine, with Turkey's Erdogan and Putin holding separate talks. Future SCO meetings will likely continue to expand its mandate to include trade and security, potentially overlapping with BRICS initiatives.