China, Russia and India attend SCO summit in Bishkek

Leaders from China, Russia and India are attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on August 31, with the grouping being promoted by Beijing and Moscow as a counterweight to U.S. global influence and Western-led forums.

The summit features key one-on-one meetings, including Russian President Vladimir Putin with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The meetings highlight efforts by Russia and Iran, both involved in contentious conflicts with the West, to solidify alliances with non-Western nations.

The SCO was founded in 2001 by China, Russia and Central Asian states. It has since expanded to include 10 member countries, among them Iran, Pakistan and Belarus. China and Russia seek to promote the organisation as an alternative to groups such as the G7.

India's participation is described in the research as serving more for diplomatic optics than policy-making, as New Delhi navigates complex regional rivalries with China and Pakistan. The summit therefore brings together countries whose interests overlap in some areas but whose regional relationships remain complicated.

Turkey, a dialogue partner of the SCO since 2012, is pursuing full membership as part of a balanced foreign policy approach. Its stated aim is to bridge ties with both NATO and Eurasian powers.

The organisation's growing membership has not resolved questions about its role. The SCO continues to struggle with vague objectives and limited international visibility, even as China and Russia seek to give it a larger place in the international system.