The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit held in China in September 2025 has been a turning point that will affect not only Eurasia but also the course of global geopolitics.[i] Bringing together China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and the Central Asian republics, the organization has begun to transform itself from a regional security platform into an actor poised to redefine the global order. The participation of United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in the summit demonstrated how important a position the SCO has gained in the international system. At the same time, this development reflected the tension between the Western-centered order and the search for Eurasia-centered alternatives.
The roots of the SCO lie in the “Shanghai Five,” formed by agreements signed in 1996 between China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. This structure was established after the collapse of the Soviet Union to ensure border security and strengthen regional stability. With the participation of Uzbekistan in 2001, the SCO officially emerged and has since adopted a broad agenda spanning from security to economy, culture, and energy.[ii]
Today, the organization has eight full members: China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Iran was also accepted as a full member in 2023. Among the observer states are Belarus and Mongolia, while dialogue partners include countries such as Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. This diversity has made the SCO an organization encompassing approximately 40% of the world’s population and 30% of global GDP.[iii]
The organization’s structure is built on a flexible governance model. The Council of Heads of State has set strategic priorities, while the Council of Heads of Government has shaped areas of economic cooperation. The Permanent Secretariat in Beijing has taken on day-to-day management, while the Regional Anti-Terrorism Center (RATS) in Tashkent has focused on combating terrorism, extremism, and separatism. This institutional framework has made the SCO a multidimensional forum in terms of both security and development.
At the summit, China took steps to consolidate its leadership within the SCO. The Global Security Initiative announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2022 is based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, non-interference, and the indivisibility of security. This approach has created an alternative to the West’s security architecture. This vision has offered an attractive option, particularly for countries under pressure from the United States (US) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Additionally, China has advocated for the reform of international institutions and the establishment of a multipolar order within the framework of the Global Governance Initiative. Xi’s announcement of $1.4 billion in credit support for green energy and infrastructure demonstrates China’s desire to lead not only politically but also economically. The promotion of the BeiDou satellite system as an alternative global navigation network challenges US-centered technological dominance.
One of the most striking images at the summit was the photo of Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi standing side by side. This image revealed the failure of the US strategy to drive Russia away from China. Western sanctions imposed after the Ukraine War have increased Moscow’s dependence on Beijing.
India, meanwhile, has emphasized its strategic autonomy. Despite pressure from the US, it has continued to purchase Russian oil, while also sitting at the same table with China and Russia, demonstrating that it is an independent actor in a multipolar order. This stance has proven that India wants to play a bridging role with the West in the SCO, while also increasing its influence in Eurasia.
The Tianjin Declaration adopted at the summit rejected the use of force, condemned interference in the internal affairs of states, and emphasized the need to reform the UN. This document sent a strong message that the Western-centric order must be adapted to the realities of the 21st century. The condemnation of Israel and the US attacks on Iran and the mention of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine showed that the SCO has begun to actively intervene in global political issues.
The SCO’s decision to establish its own development bank has been an important step towards increasing its financial independence. This initiative has been a diplomatic victory for China, pushing Russia’s proposal for an alternative structure into the background. Thus, the SCO has begun to gain institutional power not only in security but also in economic and financial areas.
Anti-Western rhetoric has increasingly dominated the SCO’s agenda. This situation has revealed a scenario in which the US has partially withdrawn from international organizations and China has filled the void. For countries subject to Western sanctions, the SCO has become a new refuge and an alternative arena for cooperation.
From the perspective of Latin America and Africa, this search for a new order has had significant repercussions. The SCO has become an actor that could serve as a model in areas such as financial independence and energy security.
The 2025 SCO Summit marked a turning point in the organization’s history. Beyond security issues in Eurasia, global governance, financial independence, and energy strategies were brought to the table. Initiatives shaped under China’s leadership presented an alternative vision to the Western-centric order.
The participation of actors such as Russia, India, and Türkiye, which protect their own interests within this structure, has strengthened the flexible and inclusive nature of the SCO. The adopted declarations and the establishment of new financial institutions indicate that the organization will play a more effective role in the global geopolitical equation.
In conclusion, the SCO Summit revealed that tensions between the West and Eurasia have reached a new level and that alternative power centers are rapidly emerging. These developments herald fundamental changes in the international system.
[i] Ruiz, Luis Alejandro, “The Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit Marks a New Geopolitical Pulse”, Guacamaya, https://guacamayave.com/en/the-shanghai-cooperation-organization-summmarks-a-new-geopolitical-pulse/, (Date Accessed: 07.09.2025).
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
