SCO Leaders Gather in Bishkek for 25th Anniversary Summit

Leaders from ten member states, including Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, are gathering in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for a two-day summit marking the 25th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Chaired by President Sadyr Japarov, the summit focuses on regional security, economic connectivity, and the promotion of a multipolar world order as a counter-influence to Western power.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping are using the platform to present a united front against Western influence amid the invasion of Ukraine and U.S. tariffs on Chinese and Indian goods. Putin is scheduled for bilateral talks with Xi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the latter of whom is seeking ways to circumvent U.S. secondary sanctions. The summit is expected to produce the Bishkek Declaration, which rejects unilateral sanctions, and discuss the creation of an SCO Development Bank and currency diversification.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are also attending. The event marks the conclusion of Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship and the transfer of leadership to Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan intends to host the subsequent summit in Islamabad in 2027 and has committed to inviting all member states. The Ministry of External Affairs of India stated it will engage with the SCO as an institution regardless of Pakistan's chairmanship, while maintaining a zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism.