Xi and Putin convene with regional allies at SCO anniversary summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, where the bloc celebrates its 25th anniversary. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also held bilateral talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines. The SCO has been deepening trade ties among members as it seeks to offer a counterweight to US-led global institutions.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization's 25th anniversary summit in Kyrgyzstan brings together heads of state from member nations, with bilateral meetings occurring alongside the main proceedings. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate talks on the summit's sidelines, reflecting the bloc's expanding diplomatic engagement beyond its core founders.
The SCO has increasingly focused on deepening economic cooperation and trade linkages among its members. The organization positions itself as an institutional alternative to Western-led frameworks, with its leadership emphasizing collective approaches to regional governance that diverge from US-dominated global structures.
This summit could signal a further consolidation of non-Western diplomatic and economic coordination, potentially affecting global trade patterns and multilateral negotiations. Nations aligned with the SCO may find new avenues for commerce and political cooperation outside US-led institutions, while Western policymakers could face a more organized bloc in international forums. The involvement of Iran and India suggests the grouping's influence may extend across broader regional dynamics, though the practical impact will depend on whether member states translate summit rhetoric into concrete agreements.