SCO Summit 2026: Regional security, Terrorism on agenda

The SCO Summit is taking place against a major geopolitical backdrop, with the West Asia conflict, the Russia-Ukraine war and growing tensions between major global powers putting the grouping’s unity under the spotlight. As India, China, Russia and Iran come together at the summit, one of the biggest questions is whether SCO members can separate their economic interests from their deep geopolitical differences. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has historically focused on economic cooperation, regional security and political coordination. However, finding consensus among its diverse members has often proved difficult. Russia is expected to maintain strong solidarity with Iran, while China has traditionally taken a more cautious approach. India, meanwhile, continues to maintain important relationships with both Western countries and SCO members, making its diplomatic balancing particularly significant. Another major question is whether the SCO can strengthen political cooperation without being seen as an explicitly anti-Western bloc. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin expected to be together in Bishkek, the summit could also serve as an important staging ground for wider diplomatic conversations ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.