SCO Summit 2025: Xi, Putin, Modi, Erdogan and 20+ Leaders Gather in Tianjin

SCO Summit 2025: Historic Gathering of Global Leaders in Tianjin

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025, hosted in Tianjin, China, is being called the largest gathering in the organization’s history. The summit will officially take place from August 31 to September 1, 2025, but by August 30, world leaders and top representatives had already arrived in Tianjin. This year’s theme, “Promoting the Shanghai Spirit: Advancing SCO Progress,” reflects a renewed commitment to regional unity, economic cooperation, and collective security.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, as the host, is leading the summit and emphasized that this forum will not only shape Asia’s future but also contribute to building a new multipolar world order. Among the most prominent attendees are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Modi’s presence is especially significant, as it marks his first visit to China since 2018, signaling a potential reset in India-China relations.

The list of participating leaders further includes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli. On the global stage, the presence of United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has given the summit added importance. Additionally, representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Maldives are also participating.

The summit highlights are centered on three key priorities. First, ensuring regional security through joint strategies, with a strong focus on counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and tackling drug trafficking. Second, advancing talks on establishing an SCO Development Bank, which could reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar and make regional trade more efficient. Third, expanding economic and trade connectivity through infrastructure development, energy cooperation, and digital integration.

Much global attention is on the rare moment where Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi share the same platform. This not only indicates a thaw in India-China relations but also highlights the deepening partnership between China and Russia. Iran’s first full participation as a permanent member, along with Turkey’s involvement and the engagement of Southeast Asian nations, has turned the summit into a broader symbol of Global South cooperation.

In essence, the Tianjin SCO Summit 2025 is emerging as a landmark event, reshaping the contours of international politics. It demonstrates that Eurasian and Asian countries are increasingly determined to make independent decisions about their future, moving away from Western dominance toward a truly multipolar world order.