Xi, Putin, Modi meet at Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek on August 31

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi converged in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on August 31, 2026, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, a gathering of leaders from the bloc's 10 member nations positioned as a counterweight to Western-aligned institutions. The SCO, founded in 2001 by China, Russia and four Central Asian states as a security forum, now includes Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, according to PBS NewsHour. Russia and China have presented the organization as an alternative to the G7, while China has pledged development and financial assistance to expand its scope and influence in recent years, per PBS reporting. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said last week that the organization has successfully "explored a new path for regional cooperation," and Beijing has consistently promoted the idea of an alternative world order with Russia's support. On the summit's sidelines, Putin met separately with Xi and Modi. According to PBS NewsHour, Putin affirmed to Xi Moscow's readiness to make the visa-free regime with China permanent, and told Modi that Russia's relationship with India is strengthening. Modi told Putin, per PBS reporting, "we need to move from endless war to the end of war, to the end of hostilities," adding that "this is very important for all of humanity." Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is expected to hold talks with Putin on Tuesday, the day of the official SCO sessions, according to PBS NewsHour. Modi met with Pezeshkian on the summit's first day and posted a statement saying he "reiterated our commitment to strengthening India's long standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors" and that "we want to expand and diversify our trade basket." Modi added that "India will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace" and that his government would "join hands and work together to ensure the security, economic prosperity, and development of the region." Per the Washington Examiner, Pezeshkian told India's Islamic Republic News Agency: "We are not seeking war, and this is a clear message we have sent to the world. However, we will never stand idly by in the face of any aggression and will give a decisive response to the aggressors." The timing of the summit coincides with active conflicts involving two of the bloc's major members: Russia is 4.5 years into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and The Washington Examiner reported that the U.S. military alleged on Sunday that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was attempting to scatter sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the first U.S. strikes against Iran in over a month, hitting Larak Island. Iran responded by launching a barrage of missiles at bases in Jordan, which were intercepted with no reported U.S. servicemen casualties. Analysts note that the SCO is not a unified political or military bloc and that its members have significant disagreements and their own distinct interests, according to PBS NewsHour. For India, the summit is likely to be more about optics and strategic signaling than substantive outcomes, given that the forum is heavily influenced by China and includes Pakistan as a member, both rivals of India. Dinakar Peri, a fellow in security studies at Carnegie India, said the SCO gives India a seat at the table in a region increasingly shaped by competition among larger powers, allowing it to protect its interests, track shifting geopolitical currents and project itself as a reliable stakeholder. Turkey, which holds partner status within the SCO, is using the platform to strengthen its position in the region, per PBS NewsHour. Turkey views SCO engagement as part of a balanced foreign policy that seeks to maintain its traditional ties with the West as a member of NATO, while strengthening its influence in Eurasia. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan brought Turkey into the SCO as a "dialogue partner" in 2012 and has repeatedly stated that he wants Turkey to become a permanent member. Turkey has close trade ties with the European Union under a 1995 trade deal, but its EU membership bid has stalled for more than 25 years. Security measures in Bishkek during the summit included closures of major shopping malls, markets and other sites, and restrictions on commercial flights to and from Manas Airport, according to PBS NewsHour. Traffic in central Bishkek was regularly restricted, the start of the school year was postponed until September 15, and authorities declared Tuesday a non-working day for public sector and civil servants in the capital.