SCO Summit: China, Russia, and India increasingly united

It’s written SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), but in light of the results of the 24th summit led by China with the Tianjin Declaration and the participation of Presidents Xi, Putin, and Modi, more cynical analysts might read the acronym as “Society Against the West.” Xi’s intentions for the “construction of a new global governance system, fair and multilateral, opposed to Western hegemonism and Cold War thinking” were reinforced by Putin’s position, who described the SCO as a “model of genuine multilateralism, an alternative to Euro-Atlantic security structures.” The Chinese summit, originally Central Asian in focus, reaffirmed solidarity among emerging nations and criticized unilateral practices such as the tariffs imposed by the United States.

New economic-financial framework

Following the model of the BRICS New Development Bank, it was decided in Tianjin to establish the SCO Development Bank, which in collaboration with institutions such as the Eurasian Development Bank will support economic, infrastructure, and social projects among the 10 members (China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan). Putin also proposed the issuance of joint bonds and the creation of a multilateral payment system, strengthening intra-SCO economic integration.

Strengthened cooperation on AI, space, and cybersecurity

In China, an agreement was signed to deepen cooperation in the development and use of AI, with Modi stressing the importance of “ensuring equal rights of access to these technologies for all.” Xi proposed the participation of SCO members in the development of China’s lunar research station and the creation of a cooperation center on artificial intelligence. Members also agreed on greater collaboration in counterterrorism, joint training, information sharing, and cybersecurity strengthening.

SCO development plan until 2035

In Tianjin, the status between SCO observer states and dialogue partners was unified, with Laos being the first country to receive it. Moreover, the SCO became an observer within the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States).

There remains a strong sense of an organization – the SCO – that, despite its long history (24 years), has lost international weight with the rise and growth of BRICS and BRICS+. The summit, which in its conclusions omitted any reference to the conflict in Ukraine, nevertheless confirmed a strong rapprochement of China and India with Russia. It is to be considered another diplomatic victory for Putin.