Leaders of China, Russia and India meet to counter US influence at SCO summit

Leaders from China, Russia, and India are convening in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, for the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, which runs from August 31 to September 1, 2026. This gathering, marking the organization's 25th anniversary, brings together heads of state from the 10 member nations and numerous observer and partner countries. The SCO is widely regarded as a bloc seeking to counterbalance the global influence of the United States and Western-aligned entities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are actively using the summit as a platform to advocate for a more multipolar world order and deepen strategic coordination. While the SCO aims to strengthen ties among its members and foster cooperation across political, economic, and security spheres, individual nations like India also pursue their own strategic interests within the organization.

During the summit, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Putin, emphasizing India's support for efforts to end the conflict in Ukraine. Despite the shared objective of countering Western dominance, analysts note that the diverse membership of the SCO leads to varied interests and potential disagreements among its participating countries.