Modi, Putin, and other world leaders gather in China for largest-ever SCO Summit

China: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among twenty world leaders arriving in the Chinese port city of Tianjin for the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, marking the largest gathering in the bloc’s history.

This year’s summit carries symbolic weight but also arrives at a moment of heightened geopolitical tension. It is Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, and he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks ahead of the main event.

Putin, who landed in Tianjin on Sunday to a red-carpet welcome, is also scheduled for a series of side meetings.

The SCO, a Beijing- and Moscow-led regional bloc founded in 2001, was originally established to counterbalance Western influence, particularly from NATO. Its current membership includes ten full members—among them China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran—as well as sixteen dialogue partners and observers.

This year’s summit unfolds under the shadow of rising trade frictions and military tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump recently imposed steep tariffs on Indian exports in response to New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, while the Kremlin remains under threat of fresh sanctions over its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Though primarily a platform for diplomatic signaling and regional cooperation, the SCO summit offers an opportunity for participating nations to express shared concerns and challenge Western economic dominance. Leaders are expected to discuss energy cooperation, security issues, and alternative trade frameworks.

Tianjin has been transformed for the occasion, with banners, billboards, and heightened security across the city, underlining China’s desire to showcase its diplomatic clout.

The summit also precedes a major military parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II—another reminder of the historical and strategic narratives shaping this year’s gathering.