China Prepares to Host SCO Summit, Welcoming Modi and Putin

China is gearing up to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, where President Xi Jinping will welcome several prominent leaders. The event will feature Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This summit is intended to showcase a vision of regional cooperation that contrasts with Western frameworks. The summit, taking place on August 31 and September 1, is projected to be the largest in SCO history, drawing 20 world leaders. President Xi will chair the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State and will hold bilateral meetings and a welcome banquet. Prime Minister Modi, who received a personal invitation from Xi Jinping, will hold discussions with various heads of state. India, a SCO member since 2017 and a past chair of the council in 2022-23, is expected to play a significant role. The SCO comprises China, India, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus, with several other nations involved as observers or dialogue partners. The summit is a key event in the context of the SCO’s role as a counterweight to Western alliances. India’s participation is also notable given evolving international dynamics. The summit will include the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Min Chinh, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, and Maldives President Mohammad Muizzu. Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing will also be in attendance. Officials from several international organizations, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev, will also participate.