SCO summit marks 25 years as security, trade and regional cooperation take centre stage

Ukraine is also likely to be discussed at the summit, although there is currently no clear indication that the ongoing war

Ukraine is also likely to be discussed at the summit, although there is currently no clear indication that the ongoing war will be treated as a separate or central agenda item. At the same time, relations between India and China, as well as tensions between India and Pakistan, are expected to receive attention. These issues could bring some of the internal differences among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) into the wider discussions.

Counterterrorism will remain one of the key areas of cooperation within the organisation. The SCO continues to coordinate its counterterrorism efforts through the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), which is headquartered in Tashkent. During the summit, member states are expected to approve plans for the coming year. These could include further cooperation between security agencies and the possibility of conducting joint counterterrorism exercises.

Economic cooperation and regional connectivity are also expected to be important subjects at the meeting. Member states are likely to discuss the development of transport infrastructure and other projects designed to improve trade and economic links across Eurasia. One of the major initiatives involving SCO countries is the International North-South Transport Corridor, a 7,200-kilometre route connecting St. Petersburg with Mumbai through Iran and ports along the Persian Gulf. The corridor is intended to provide faster and more efficient trade routes between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Another initiative is the network of Silk Road Stations, which the organisation agreed to establish in 2025. The network aims to facilitate international freight movement and strengthen transport connections across the Eurasian region. Meanwhile, discussions over the creation of an SCO Development Bank are continuing. A fourth round of consultations took place in Shenzhen in June, but member states have yet to reach final agreement on the bank’s structure, functions and operational framework.

As the SCO begins its second 25 years, the organisation is entering a period of significant economic and geopolitical change. Asian economies are becoming increasingly important, global supply chains are being reorganised, and countries are looking for new trading partners and diplomatic relationships. These developments could further increase the importance of the SCO as a platform for regional cooperation.

For some members, the organisation provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation on security and counterterrorism. For others, it offers a platform to expand trade, improve transport connections and coordinate positions on major international issues. Despite these different priorities, the SCO continues to bring together countries with significant political, economic and strategic influence.

The summit is expected to adopt the Bishkek Declaration to commemorate the organisation’s 25th anniversary. Leaders are also expected to approve documents concerning the SCO’s future development and major regional and international issues.

The meeting will additionally mark the conclusion of Kyrgyzstan’s chairmanship. Leadership will then pass to Pakistan, which is expected to guide the organisation for the following year and host the 2027 SCO leaders’ summit.

Although the SCO does not have the binding military commitments of an alliance or the deeper economic integration of a formal union, its large membership and geographical reach have made it an increasingly important forum for dialogue across Eurasia.

As leaders gather in Bishkek to mark 25 years of the organisation, the summit highlights how the SCO has evolved from a grouping initially focused on resolving border disputes into a major multilateral platform. Its biggest challenge ahead will be to convert its growing size and influence into meaningful cooperation while maintaining consensus among members with increasingly diverse interests.