The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit held in Tianjin, China (Aug 31–Sept 1, 2025) gathered record leaders, shaping debates on multipolarity, security cooperation, and regional connectivity.

Key Outcomes of the 25th SCO Summit

• Tianjin Declaration: The central political outcome of the summit, the Tianjin Declaration, strongly condemned the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack in India, which killed 26 people.
  • The declaration called for perpetrators and sponsors to be brought to justice and emphasized that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable.
• Security and Counter-Terrorism: India highlighted that terrorism cannot be justified and called for collective action via SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).
  • Attempts to dilute references to cross-border terrorism were blocked by India, indirectly cornering Pakistan.
  • Four new SCO centers were approved to address organized crime, drug trafficking, and cyber threats.
• Long-Term Strategy and Cooperation: Approved SCO Development Strategy 2026–2035, outlining organizational priorities for the next decade.
  • Approved a cooperation program (2026–2030) to counter extremist ideology and promote regional stability.
• Institutional Reforms and Expansion: Observer states and dialogue partners were merged into a single category- SCO partners.
  • Laos was granted partner status, expanding the SCO family to 27 nations (10 members & 17 partners).
• Economic and Development Initiatives: Decision to establish an SCO Development Bank to enhance infrastructure, economic progress, and social cooperation among members.
  • Approved a roadmap for SCO Energy Cooperation until 2030.
  • Russia proposed SCO bonds and new payment mechanisms to reduce Western financial dependence, while India supported financial diversification cautiously.
  • China pledged $1.4 billion in grants and loans to support development.
• India’s Vision- Three-Pillar Framework (S-C-O):
  • Security: Firm action against terrorism and emphasis on regional stability.
  • Connectivity: Advocated trust-based and inclusive infrastructure, countering China’s BRI.
  • Opportunity: Promoted economic cooperation without coercive dependency.
    • Proposed a Civilizational Dialogue Forum to strengthen people-to-people ties.
• Strategic Diplomacy: India maintained a balanced stance between Russia, China, and Central Asian states, projecting itself as a stabilizing Eurasian force.
  • Resisted including divisive issues like the Israel–Palestine conflict, focusing on SCO’s core mandate.
  • The Chinese President called for India–China cooperation, using the metaphor “dragon and elephant must dance together”, though tensions persisted.
• Cultural, Educational, and AI Cooperation: Endorsed rotation of SCO Youth Cultural Festival and SCO Summit Forum (2025–2027).
  • Approved joint university training and scholarship programs, targeting 5,000 scholarships annually.
  • Member nations agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), with India emphasizing equal rights in AI access and development.
  • Cholpon Ata (Kyrgyz Republic) designated as SCO tourist and cultural capital (2025–2026).
• Global Governance Reform: Chinese President and Russian President advocated a new global governance system to challenge the Western-led international order, promoting multipolarisation and inclusive globalization.
• Future Implications and Outlook:
  • Strategic Realignment: SCO increasingly China-dominated, questioning alignment with India’s interests.
  • Continued Relevance: Access to Central Asian markets, energy resources, and RATS cooperation continues to provide counter-terrorism benefits.
  • Selective Engagement: India to focus on areas with concrete gains, maintaining principled positions on core security issues.
  • Broader Diplomacy: Reflects India’s approach of maximum engagement with minimum entanglement, balancing regional influence and strategic autonomy.

About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• Meaning & Origin: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic, and security grouping.
  • Background & Origin: 
    • Post-USSR Context (1991): After the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Central Asia faced ethnic tensions, separatism, and extremist religious groups, prompting demand for a regional security framework.
    • Shanghai Five (1996): Comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, it aimed at resolving border disputes, building trust, and enhancing security cooperation.
    • Transformation (2001): With Uzbekistan’s entry, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was formally established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, expanding its role to security, economy, and diplomacy.
    • Expansion:
      • 2017 – India and Pakistan joined.
      • 2023 – Iran became a full member.
      • 2024 – Belarus became the 10th full member.
    • Membership (2025): Full Members (10): China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus (joined in 2024).
    • Observers: Afghanistan, Mongolia.
    • Dialogue Partners (17): Includes Nepal, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Cambodia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Laos, among others.
• Headquarters: Beijing, China.
• Official Languages: Russian and Chinese.
• Scale & Reach: 
  • SCO member states account for 43% of the world’s population.
  • They represent about one-quarter of the global economy.
• Objectives of SCO:
  • Ensure regional peace, security, and stability.
  • Counter terrorism, extremism, and separatism (via RATS – Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure, Tashkent).
  • Promote economic, energy, and technological cooperation.
  • Improve connectivity and cultural exchanges across Eurasia.
  • Encourage multipolarity in global governance, reducing dependence on Western-led institutions.
• Key Mechanisms:
  • Council of Heads of State & Government: Supreme decision-making authority.
  • Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Based in Tashkent (Uzbekistan), it coordinates intelligence-sharing, counter-terrorism exercises, anti-drug operations, and cyber threat monitoring.

• • New Centres (2025): Established for organized crime, narcotics trafficking, and cybersecurity cooperation.
  • SCO Development Bank (2025): Approved to finance regional energy projects and infrastructure development.

Strategic Significance of SCO

• For the World: One of the largest security-focused international organisations led by Asian powers.
  • Acts as a Russia–China-backed counterweight to Western alliances like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
• For India:
  • Central Asia Outreach: Strengthens India’s strategic presence in resource-rich Central Asia.
  • Security Dialogue: Provides a forum to raise cross-border terrorism concerns and use RATS for counter-terrorism cooperation.
  • Connectivity Alternatives: Enables India to push the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar Port, while rejecting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) because of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through PoK.
  • Energy & Economy: Expands scope for hydrocarbon imports and participation in financial cooperation frameworks.
  • Diplomatic Utility: Allows India to engage with Russia, China, and Pakistan simultaneously in one multilateral forum.

Structural and Strategic Challenges of SCO

• Divergent Agendas: Members prioritize different objectives — China (Belt and Road Initiative), Russia (security balancing), India (sovereignty and terrorism focus), Central Asia (developmental needs).
• India–China & India–Pakistan Rivalry: Persistent border disputes, terrorism sponsorship, and Kashmir debates undermine cohesion.
• Consensus-Based Model: SCO decisions require unanimity, making implementation slow and watered-down.
• China’s Dominance: Most SCO initiatives align with Beijing’s strategic interests, sidelining smaller members.
• Weak Economic Integration: Trade and investment remain modest due to mistrust and structural gaps.
• Anti-West Tilt: Russia and China often portray SCO as an anti-West platform, which creates discomfort for India.
• Afghanistan Instability: Taliban-led Afghanistan threatens regional security and SCO’s counter-terrorism goals.

Way Forward

• Deepening Security Cooperation: Strengthen RATS operations and intelligence-sharing networks.
  • Push for a globally accepted definition of terrorism, highlighting state-sponsored terrorism.
• Balancing Connectivity with Sovereignty: Promote International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar Port as alternatives to the Belt and Road Initiative.
  • Continue opposing China–Pakistan Economic Corridor while advocating inclusive connectivity norms.
• Expanding Economic & Technological Engagement: Secure long-term energy import agreements with Central Asia.
  • Tap opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI), financial technology (Fintech), and digital economy cooperation.
• Leveraging Cultural & Educational Soft Power: Increase scholarship programs, youth exchanges, and cultural diplomacy.
  • Project India as a knowledge-driven innovation hub in Eurasia.
• Managing Contradictions Pragmatically: Maintain strategic autonomy while balancing ties with Russia, China, and Central Asia.
  • Focus on issue-based cooperation instead of aligning with SCO’s anti-West narratives.
• Aligning with Global Vision: Use SCO to push for multipolarity, United Nations reforms, and fairer global governance.
  • Synergize SCO diplomacy with BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) and G20 (Group of Twenty) to amplify India’s global influence.

Conclusion

• The SCO today stands as a key driver of Eurasian security and multipolarity. For India, it is both an opportunity for strategic engagement and a challenge due to China–Pakistan dynamics. The way forward lies in pragmatic, issue-based cooperation, sovereignty-respecting connectivity, and aligning Eurasian ties with India’s broader global vision.

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