SCO Summit 2025: Modi, Putin, and Xi Chart a Multipolar Future Amid Global Tensions
The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, held in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, 2025, brought together global leaders in a powerful display of solidarity. At the forefront were Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose interactions underscored the SCO’s growing role as a counterweight to Western influence. Against the backdrop of U.S. tariffs and geopolitical shifts, their meetings highlighted a shared vision for a multipolar world order, economic cooperation, and regional stability.
A Strategic Convergence
The summit, the largest in SCO’s history since its inception in 2001, hosted over 20 world leaders and representatives from 10 international organizations, including the United Nations. Modi’s first visit to China in seven years marked a significant step in resetting India-China relations, strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. In bilateral talks with Xi, Modi emphasized mutual trust and border stability as foundations for progress, with both leaders agreeing to enhance trade, resume direct flights, and facilitate people-to-people exchanges like the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra. Xi stressed that border issues should not define the broader relationship, signaling a pragmatic approach to cooperation.
Modi’s meeting with Putin, marked by a warm hug and a shared ride in an armored limousine, reinforced the deep India-Russia partnership. Discussions focused on trade, defense cooperation, and preparations for Putin’s upcoming visit to India in December 2025. Modi reiterated India’s call for peace in Ukraine, while Putin highlighted the resilience of bilateral ties despite U.S. pressure over India’s Russian oil purchases. The leaders’ camaraderie, captured in a group photo with Xi, symbolized a united front amid global uncertainties.
Economic and Geopolitical Implications
The SCO, comprising 10 member states and 16 observer and dialogue partners, represents 40% of the global population and vast energy resources. Xi proposed a $2.3 trillion trade framework with SCO nations and a new SCO development bank to bolster economic ties. However, analysts note the bloc’s challenges in achieving substantive outcomes due to internal rivalries, such as India-Pakistan tensions, and differing political systems. Modi’s address at the plenary session condemned cross-border terrorism, aligning with the SCO’s founding principles, while Xi criticized “bullying behavior” in global affairs, implicitly targeting U.S. policies.
The summit’s timing, amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs—50% on Indian goods and threats of 200% on Chinese exports—amplified its significance. Experts, including Eric Olander of The China-Global South Project, view the event as Xi’s platform to showcase a post-American world order. India’s strained U.S. relations, driven by tariffs and its Russian oil imports, have pushed New Delhi closer to Beijing and Moscow, fostering a delicate balancing act in global diplomacy.
Business Opportunities and Challenges
For businesses, the SCO Summit opens avenues for collaboration in trade, technology, and infrastructure across Eurasia. The bloc’s focus on connectivity and innovation, including India’s earlier SCO initiatives like startups and digital inclusion, presents opportunities for public-private partnerships. However, challenges remain, including the SCO’s limited ability to deliver concrete security outcomes and India’s cautious stance on China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Companies eyeing SCO markets must navigate geopolitical complexities and invest in resilient supply chains to capitalize on the region’s potential.
A Vision for the Future
The Modi-Putin-Xi troika at Tianjin signals a shift toward a multipolar world, with the SCO as a key platform for Global South solidarity. While the summit’s outcomes may lean more on optics than policy breakthroughs, its emphasis on economic cooperation and regional stability offers hope for businesses and communities alike. As Modi noted, India-China collaboration is vital for global welfare, a sentiment echoed by Xi’s call for a “new type of international relations.” With Putin’s upcoming India visit and ongoing SCO initiatives, the stage is set for deeper trilateral engagement, reshaping global trade and diplomacy.
FAQ: SCO Summit 2025 – Modi, Putin, and Xi Chart a Multipolar Future
Q1. When and where was the 25th SCO Summit held?
The 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit took place in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, 2025.
Q2. Who were the key leaders at the summit?
The summit featured Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, among over 20 world leaders and representatives from 10 international organizations.
Q3. Why was Modi’s visit to China significant?
It was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years and aimed at resetting India-China relations, strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
Q4. What topics did Modi and Xi discuss bilaterally?
They discussed border stability, mutual trust, trade enhancement, resuming direct flights, and people-to-people exchanges, including the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra.
Q5. What was highlighted in Modi’s meeting with Putin?
Modi and Putin focused on trade, defense cooperation, and preparations for Putin’s December 2025 visit to India. Modi also reiterated India’s call for peace in Ukraine.
Q6. What is the SCO’s global significance?
The SCO comprises 10 member states and 16 observer/dialogue partners, representing 40% of the global population and significant energy resources.
Q7. What economic initiatives were proposed at the summit?
China proposed a $2.3 trillion trade framework among SCO nations and suggested a new SCO development bank to strengthen economic ties.
Q8. What geopolitical challenges affect the SCO?
Internal rivalries, such as India-Pakistan tensions, and differing political systems among member states, can limit substantive policy outcomes.
Q9. How did the U.S. tariffs impact the summit?
The summit occurred amid U.S. tariffs of 50% on Indian goods and potential 200% tariffs on Chinese exports, amplifying the bloc’s relevance as an alternative economic platform.
Q10. What was Modi’s stance on terrorism at the summit?
Modi condemned cross-border terrorism, aligning with the SCO’s founding principles of regional security and stability.
Q11. How did Xi address global affairs?
Xi criticized “bullying behavior” in international politics, implicitly referring to U.S. policies and emphasizing the SCO as a counterweight to Western influence.
Q12. What business opportunities arise from the SCO Summit?
Businesses can explore trade, technology, and infrastructure collaborations across Eurasia, as well as public-private partnerships in connectivity and innovation.
Q13. What challenges do companies face in SCO markets?
Challenges include geopolitical tensions, India-China cautious relations, and the SCO’s limited ability to ensure concrete security outcomes.
Q14. How does the summit affect India’s foreign relations?
India is navigating a delicate balancing act—strengthening ties with China and Russia while managing strained relations with the U.S. due to tariffs and oil imports.
Q15. What symbolism came from the Modi-Putin-Xi interactions?
The troika’s warm interactions, including a shared limousine ride and group photos, symbolized unity and a multipolar world vision amid global tensions.
Q16. Are there concrete policy outcomes expected from the summit?
While some outcomes may be symbolic, the emphasis on economic cooperation, regional stability, and trilateral engagement sets the stage for future initiatives.
Q17. What future engagements are planned following the summit?
Putin is expected to visit India in December 2025, and SCO initiatives on trade, technology, and connectivity are likely to continue expanding.
Q18. How does the SCO benefit the Global South?
The SCO provides a platform for solidarity, economic collaboration, and regional development, reducing dependency on Western-dominated systems.
Q19. How can businesses leverage SCO initiatives?
Companies can invest in resilient supply chains, joint ventures, infrastructure projects, and technology collaborations to tap into SCO markets.
Q20. What is the overall vision highlighted at the SCO Summit 2025?
The summit reflects a shift toward a multipolar world, emphasizing cooperation, regional stability, and sustainable economic growth, with India, Russia, and China playing central roles.
