SCO summit in China: What 10-nation bloc wants, why it matters — and what it means for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi , Russian President Vladimir Putin , and leaders of eight other countries will meet in northern China for the latest summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ).

The 10-member grouping, which includes some of Asia’s biggest powers, has grown steadily over the past two decades and is increasingly seen as a platform where countries seek alternatives to US-led approaches on trade, security and regional disputes.

What is the SCO and why it matters

The SCO was created in 2001, with China and Russia as its principal drivers, along with four Central Asian states — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Over time, it has expanded to include India and Pakistan in 2017, Iran in 2023, and Belarus in 2024, bringing the total membership to 10. Together, these countries cover about 40% of the world’s population.

The SCO has 10 members: Russia, Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Formed in 2001, the bloc was initially seen as a counter to US influence in Central Asia. India and Pakistan joined in 2017, Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

Members with different priorities

The bloc includes countries with very different positions on the global stage. Iran and Belarus remain under Western sanctions. Pakistan depends heavily on China for military and economic support. Russia faces growing isolation over its war in Ukraine. India, meanwhile, has taken a more independent stance, engaging with the SCO while maintaining ties with the US and its partners in the Quad.

This diversity means the SCO has influence but also internal differences. Its goals are not always clearly defined, which limits its ability to act as a unified bloc.

Some members, such as Iran and Belarus, are considered opponents of the West. Others, including India, China and Russia, have mixed relations with the US, shaped by Washington’s policies on the war in Ukraine and trade tariffs affecting Beijing and New Delhi.

Since its creation, the SCO has been led mainly by China, the region’s largest economy, while Russia has sought to use it to retain influence over former Soviet republics Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Russia’s economic role has weakened under Western sanctions, but both Moscow and Beijing continue to use the bloc for regional military cooperation, limited to joint drills and exercises.

India at SCO

India’s position within the SCO brings a different dynamic. India has maintained a policy of neutrality, which some see as self-interest. Since the Ukraine war began, India has become a significant buyer of Russian oil, creating friction with Washington. PM Modi recently spoke of "steady progress" in ties with China after meeting its foreign minister last week, saying there was "respect for each other’s interests and sensitiveness."

India’s presence challenges the dominance of Russia and China in the group. While India has strong trade with both, it is unlikely to support Russia’s actions in Ukraine or China’s claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

India has also pushed for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council but has received only limited support from China and Russia, which may want to avoid weakening their own leverage with the West.

The bigger picture

The SCO is one of the most prominent regional organizations China has cofounded, University of Chicago political scientist Dali Yang was quoted as saying by the news agency Associated Press.

“For China’s leadership, there is a lot of emphasis on maintaining existing relations in the international arena even though the SCO has not been effective in dealing with the major challenges of today,” Yang said.

According to June Teufel Dreyer, a China expert at the University of Miami, the SCO now appears to be moving beyond its earlier role as mainly a dialogue forum. She said the grouping seems to want to become a "full-fledged mechanism of practical cooperation that brings tangible results to the citizens of the member states." However, she added, as quoted by AP, the key question is, “to what end and how?”