Founded in 2001, the SCO evolved from the Shanghai Five (1996), initially comprising China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan .
It is now a major Eurasian multilateral body focused on security, political, and economic cooperation, and includes India, Pakistan, Iran (2023), and Belarus (2024) among its ten permanent members .
Covering around 24% of the world’s landmass and 42% of its population, the SCO wields significant regional influence .
Its core institutional mechanisms include the Heads of State Council, which meets annually, and the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), coordinating counterterrorism efforts .
Highlights from the 25th SCO Summit (Tianjin, August 31–September 1, 2025)
Summit Overview
Held in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, 2025, this marked the largest SCO summit in its history .
Hosted by President Xi Jinping, the gathering featured leaders from all 10 SCO members and some 20 heads of international organizations .
Major Announcements & Agreements
Tianjin Declaration and a 10-year SCO Development Strategy (2026–2035) were adopted, laying groundwork for cooperation across security, economy, and culture .
Endorsement of 24 outcome documents, including programs on countering extremist ideology (2026–2030), a roadmap for energy cooperation (until 2030), and declarations addressing WWII/UN anniversaries, AI, digital economy, green infrastructure, and science & innovation .
The summit endorsed establishing an SCO Anti-Drug Center in Dushanbe and a Universal Security Center attached to RATS in Tashkent .
A landmark decision was the move to form an SCO Development Bank, aimed at financing intra-SCO development projects .
China pledged significant economic support: RMB 2 billion (~$281 million) in grants, and RMB 10 billion in loans through the SCO Interbank Consortium; plus 100 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects and 10 Luban Workshops offering 10,000 training opportunities .
Strategic Economic Proposals
Russia (Putin) proposed issuing joint SCO bonds, creating a shared payments and settlement system, and a bank to enhance economic integration and reduced reliance on Western financial systems .
Common Geopolitical Messaging
Xi Jinping advocated for a multipolar world, opposition to “Western bullying,” and reframing global governance via the SCO model .
Putin supported these notions, speaking of a new system of Eurasian stability that counters Euro-Atlantic dominance .
Modi emphasized unity against terrorism, rejecting double standards in counterterrorism, and urged that connectivity must respect sovereignty—a subtle critique of China’s BRI (particularly CPEC) .
SCO leaders collectively condemned the terrorist attacks in Pahalgam (India), Jaffar Express, and Khuzdar (Pakistan), passing the Tianjin Declaration that upheld a UN-centered fight against terrorism .
Uzbek President Mirziyoyev proposed new frameworks for trade facilitation, a unified transport space tied to the BRI, green energy corridors, and digital platforms .
Institutional Changes
The summit saw structural reform: the observer and dialogue partner statuses were merged into a unified “SCO partner” category; Laos was the first to receive this new status .
Why This Summit Matters
For India
Modi’s attendance—his first trip to China in seven years—signals a thaw and intent to compartmentalize bilateral disputes, even amid strategic competition .
His focus on terrorism, inclusive multilateralism, and sovereignty-based connectivity reiterates India’s vision for a system anchored in fairness and national rights, not dominance .
India's initiatives within SCO-RATS, including leadership in counterterror operations and proposals for better coordination, underscore its active role in shaping SCO’s security agenda .
SCO’s financial and infrastructure mechanisms, particularly the development bank and Chinese-funded projects, open new avenues for India to engage in regional development—though with caution around sovereignty concerns.
For the Global Community
This summit advances the SCO as a counterweight to Western-led systems, consolidating an alternative multilateral platform where the Global South and Eurasian nations coalesce .
The joint bond and payment infrastructure, along with the development bank, signal steps towards financial de-dollarization and economic resilience .
Broad thematic agreements—such as those on AI, green energy, and anti-drug cooperation—reflect emerging priorities in Eurasia that have global relevance.
The SCO’s growing institutional footprint and membership expansion (e.g., Laos) suggest it may increasingly act as a globally influential bloc, particularly if Western powers face internal or external setbacks.
In Summary
The 2025 SCO Summit in Tianjin marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of Eurasian multilateralism. From launching a decadal development strategy, a development bank, and expanded security institutions—to promoting a multipolar world and asserting Global South solidarity—this summit reinforced the SCO’s transformative trajectory.
For India, it offered both new opportunities in infrastructure and security collaboration, and a platform to champion equitable multilateralism and sovereign rights.
For the world, it underscored the SCO’s potential as a serious alternative governance architecture, reflecting shifting geopolitical alignments and the desire for more inclusive global frameworks.
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: Key Outcomes of the 2025 Tianjin Summit and Its Significance for India and the World (UPSC CSE)){kind=link}