Col Alok Mathur, SM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a rousing welcome as Air India one landed at Binhai International Airport in the North Eastern Tianjin province of the Peoples Republic of China on 30 August 2025. The prime minster was scheduled to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Summit – 2025 over there after his successful visit to Japan. He was welcomed by the Chinese delegation at the airport and later by the Indian Diaspora at the entrance of the Hotel Wanda where he was presented a traditional folk dance amidst chanting of Vande-Matram and slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.
He was visiting China after seven years. His visits to two major powers of Asia (Japan and China) convey a strong message to the United States and the west that India is capable of neutralising the Tariff War and follow an independent path. The message is also that Indian will look after the interests of Indian farmers, dairy and domestic agro-based industry and not to induct genetically modified crops, fruits, milk, vegetables and fodder.
The venue for the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit was Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Centre in the city of Tianjin. The duration of summit was 31 August to 01 September 2025. Chinese President Xi Jin Ping was the main host.The following Heads of State attended the summit; PM Narendra Modi (India), President Vladimir Putin (Russia), President Masoud Pezeshskian (Iran), President Alexander Lukashenko (Belarus), President Kassym Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan), President Shavakat Mirziyoyev (Uzbekistan), President Sadyr Japareov (Kyrgyzstan), President Emomali Rahmon (Tajikistan), President Recep Erdogon ( Turkiye) , Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim, PM Shahbaz Sharif (Pakistan), President Abdul Muzzio (Maldives), Nepal PM K P Sharma Oli & Myanmar Military Chief Min Aung Hliang. Moreover, Nikol Pashiyan (PM of Aremnia) Mostafa Madbouly (PM of Egypt), President Houngloun Sisoulith (Laos), PM Lurong Curong (Vietnam) and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov (Turkmenistan) were special invitees. The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn were invited as guest of honour. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had shown inability to join due to internal turmoil. Indonesian foreign minister represented his country.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was formed in 2001, on the initiative of China after the disintegration of former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), as a Eurasian international political, security and economic organisation. The aim was to solve border disputes and establish a strong security bloc There were initially five core members, China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan joined in 2001. India and Pakistan were included in 2017. Iran joined in 2023 and Belarus in 2024. Hence by 2024, five more members, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran and Belarus, were inducted.
The SCO headquarters is located in Beijing China. The Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS) office has been established at Tashkent, Uzbekistan. As on date, SCO family has been extended to 14 dialogue partners and two nations as observers. The present summit had delegations of 25 countries and top international organisations. The present Secretary General is Nurlan Yermekbayev, former Defence minister of Kazakhstan
The SCO summit is required to be held annually and heads of state are required to attend according to the Charter of the Organisation. Moreover, a preliminary meeting of foreign ministers of member nations is held earlier to work out the agenda and terms of the main summit. The details of earlier summits are as listed. The first summit was held in Shanghai , China on 14-15 June 2001, Second summit was organised at Saint Petersburg in Russia on 7 June 2002, third summit in Moscow in 2003, fourth in Tashkent Uzbekistan in 2004, fifth summit in Astana Kazakhstan in 2005, Sixth summit was again held in Shanghai China in 2006, Seventh summit venue was Bishkek Kyrgyzstan in 2007, Eighth summit was at Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 2008 , Ninth summit was at Yekaterinburg Russia in 2009, 10th summit venue was in Tashkent in 2010, 11th summit was held at Astana, Kazakhstan in 2011 , 12th Summit was held at Beijing China in 2012, 13TH summit was held at Bishkek Kyrgyzstan in 2013, 14th edition was held virtually by Dushanbe Tajikistan in 2014 , 15th summit at Ufa Russia in 2015, Tashkent in 2016 for 16th Summit, Astana Kazakhstan in 2017 for 17th Summit, Qingdao China was the venue for 18th Summit in 2018. The 19th summit was held at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in 2019, 20th summit virtually by Russia on 10 Nov 2020. The venue for 21st summit was Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 2121. The 22nd summit was organised at Samarkand, Uzbekistan in 2022, India was the venue for 23rd edition which was held through video conferencing in 2023 .The 24th edition was held at Astana, Kyrgyzstan in 2024.The 25th Summit is in progress at Tianjin, China.
The objectives of SCO are multi-fold. The primary objective is to build a security environment to deal head-on with terrorism, separatism and extremism and also take action against human and drug trafficking and weapon cartels. A terrorist blacklist has also been initiated. Regional Anti Terrorism Structure (RATS) had been established after SCO summit in Tashkent in 2004. A treaty was initiated with Collective Security Treaty Organisation in 2017. Cyber Warfare by one nation on other nation was also addressed.
RATS has foiled 600 terror plots and extradited about 500 suspected terrorists. In the last Summit at Astana in Kazakhstan, SCO advocated for a Multi polar world under UN supervision. Military cooperation among member nations was another objective of SCO. There have been a number of Joint Military exercises held by Russia, China and Kazakhstan named Peace Missions in 2005, 2007 and 2009. It was also highlighted that it was not a military alliance against any country. After Russian invasion of Ukraine, joint military missions have been shelved and all members have distanced away from Russia. India has always resisted it as military alliance. Economic cooperation has been the main objective among member nations.
In the 2003 Summit, the Chinese premier proposed a Free Trade Area in the SCO to ensure free flow of goods and services without tariffs. In the Moscow summit in 2005, Russia proposed joint energy projects, exploration of hydro carbon reserves and joint use of water resources. A SCO Interbank consortium was also proposed. Iran proposed a common currency in SCO and discard dollar based transactions. Eurasian Economic Union was formed in 2014. Cultural Exchange programmes and student visits among member nations were secondary objectives of SCO. SCO arts festivals and exhibitions were held in the Astana Summit in 2005 and a folk dance festival was organised in 2008. SCO+ initiative was suggested by President Putin at Moscow summit in 2020 to include CIS nations and BRICS members in fold of SCO.
United States and NATO view Shanghai Cooperation Organisation with suspicion and potential threat in the Central Asia region. Although SCO is a non military alliance but China and Russia have joined together with former allies of Warsaw pact countries. India does not fit well in the alliance as Pakistan is also member of SCO and always in war mode with India. Russia-Ukraine War has also weakened the SCO. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had a conflict. In June 2025, India refused to endorse a joint statement at SCO’s defence minister’s conclave in Qingdao China as it did not have a balanced reflection on terrorism. It criticised terrorism in Baluchistan, Pakistan but did not criticise Pakistan sponsored terrorism against India, especially the terrorist attack at Pahalgam, Kashmir, India.
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at SCO Council of Foreign Ministers emphasised the need for SCO to uphold its founding principle by maintaining an uncompromising stance against all types of terrorism and extremism and should not discriminate one from the other. He also raised concerns over construction of Medong Hydropower Project on Brahmaputra River (Yarlung Tsangpo) in Tibet and sharing of Hydrological Data.
India has generally avoided SCO meets but has always participated but at lower level but this time PM Modi has decided to go to Tianjin Summit with full strength and use this platform to fight against Tariff War imposed by POTUS and take on the onslaught jointly with China. He had a long bilateral meeting with the Chinese President on side lines of SCO summit on 31 August 2025. His main aim was to restore better trade relations with China, restore supply of rare earth material and defuse tensions on Indo-China borders amicably.
A boost in India-China bilateral relations will help both nations to neutralise the effects of heavy tariff sanctions imposed unilaterally by United States. The tariff war will give rise to strong Trident of Russia, India and China (RIC) and a challenge to United States. PM Modi highlighted during his bilateral meet with Chinese president that the welfare of 2.8 billion people in Himalayan region is linked with harmonious ties between India and China and friendship is the right choice. President XI also emphasised that both countries should not let border issue define the overall relationship and must adjust and handle ties with strategic and long term perspective. Both agreed that we two are the most populous and important countries of world and members of Global South. Geopolitical and Geo-economic equations have undergone drastic changes have brought Dragon and Elephant closer and face the economic challenges jointly. Air India and Air China will soon be commencing non- stop direct flights making a friendship aero bridge between New Delhi and Beijing.