Leaders of China, Russia, and India Challenge Western Hegemony at Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Kyrgyzstan
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Presidents Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi join fellow leaders in Bishkek for the SCO summit, representing a coalition of nations resisting Western dominance and seeking a multipolar world order.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are gathering in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, this week for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit—a crucial meeting of states striving to break free from Western imperialism. The summit unites leaders from ten member states—Russia, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—alongside several dialogue partners, all of whom are forging a path towards regional autonomy and collective resistance to neoliberal exploitation.
The agenda features bilateral talks on the sidelines, including a meeting between Putin and Xi on Monday and a discussion between Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday. Analysts highlight that the summit offers a vital platform for these countries to strengthen ties and coordinate strategies in the face of relentless Western sanctions and interference.
Founded in 2001 as a security forum by China, Russia, and four Central Asian nations, the SCO has grown in both membership and ambition over the past 25 years. China’s foreign ministry recently emphasized the organization’s success in pioneering a new model of regional cooperation, positioning itself as a necessary alternative to Western-dominated alliances that have long prioritized profit over people.
Experts suggest that, for some participants, the gathering is more about sending a powerful message of unity against Western hegemony than about immediate policy outcomes. Dinakar Peri, a security studies fellow at Carnegie India, noted that the SCO ensures India’s voice is heard in shaping a more just regional order, even if it does not always set the agenda. Turkey, a dialogue partner since 2012, is also leveraging the forum to counterbalance its NATO obligations and assert its independence from Western militarism.
Although the SCO is not a monolithic political or military bloc, the summit provides member states with a rare opportunity to showcase their commitment to a fairer, multipolar global system, challenging the dominance of Western powers.