World leaders meet in Bishkek for SCO summit
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, gathered leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chaired by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, the summit marked the 25th anniversary of the regional bloc, with discussions centering on a multipolar world order, security, and economic cooperation. The Bishkek Declaration was adopted, outlining commitments to enhance cooperation across security, combating drug trafficking, and transport. Closer cooperation between the SCO and the African Union Commission was approved. Numerous bilateral meetings took place on the sidelines, where Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held discussions with Prime Minister Modi and President Putin, focusing on bilateral relations and regional stability. President Pezeshkian highlighted SCO's denouncement of military aggression against Iran, emphasizing national territorial integrity, as the summit occurred with some SCO members navigating ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine and between Washington and Tehran, or trade disputes. The SCO, now comprising ten members including India, Pakistan, and Iran, aims to be a significant counterbalance to Western influence. Its founding declaration states it is "not an alliance directed against other states," yet leaders have frequently used these summits to articulate a vision of a multipolar global landscape. Kyrgyzstan's chairmanship concluded; Pakistan will host the next summit. Lahore, Pakistan, was designated as the SCO's Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-2027.
