At the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, held on August 31–September 1, 2025, in Tianjin, China, global power politics underwent a dramatic reset. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Xi Jinping, and President Vladimir Putin came together in a show of rare solidarity—signaling not only the rise of a multipolar order but also the steady decline of unilateral Western dominance.
Pakistan Snubbed, Terrorism Called Out
Prime Minister Modi opened the summit with a strong message: the SCO stands for Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity. He drew attention to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, declaring that safe havens for terrorists and their backers cannot be tolerated. The remarks left Pakistan visibly sidelined—an unmistakable diplomatic setback.
Putin Fact-Checks the West
Russian President Vladimir Putin took direct aim at U.S. narratives on Ukraine, pointing out that the crisis stems from NATO’s expansionism, not Russian aggression. He also dismissed U.S. accusations that India fuels Russia’s war machine, clarifying that India adheres to G7–EU oil price caps and that no sanctions exist on Russian energy. His speech underscored Russia’s resistance to Washington’s version of global politics.
Xi Slams Global Bullying, Pledges Aid
Chinese President Xi Jinping denounced Cold War–era “bullying behavior” and bloc politics, warning against U.S.-style coercion. His message struck a chord as he announced a USD 281 million grant for SCO member states, along with USD 1.4 billion in loans over three years. Xi also outlined plans for an SCO Development Bank, new energy cooperation platforms, and integration of China’s BeiDou satellite network into SCO frameworks.
Trump and Western Pressure Ignored
Former U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration’s style of strong-arm bullying received a resounding cold shoulder. Neither his rhetoric nor Washington’s coercive tactics found any traction at Tianjin, where leaders made clear that the SCO’s future lies in autonomy, sovereignty, and Eurasian cooperation—not in bowing to Western threats.
New SCO Institutions for Security and Growth
The summit greenlit several new initiatives, including:
- SCO Universal Center for Countering Security Threats
- SCO Anti-Drug Center
- SCO Development Strategy 2026–2035
These institutions aim to reinforce security coordination and long-term economic resilience among member states.
Troika in Harmony, A New Era Emerging
Candid images of Modi, Xi, and Putin sharing warm handshakes and embraces reflected more than diplomatic courtesy—they captured the mood of a Eurasian bloc asserting its independence. The summit’s message was clear: the balance of power is shifting, and the days of a U.S.-dominated world order are fading.
SCO’s Blueprint for the Future
The Tianjin SCO Summit marked a milestone in the rebalancing of world affairs. The anticipated change post-summit lies not only in the display of each nation’s growing influence, but in a collective reminder to the world that bullying—whether by old or emerging powers—is no longer a sustainable path forward in global leadership.
India took the lead on security and counterterrorism, China committed financial and institutional strength, and Russia dismantled Western narratives—together advancing a new multipolar global order. With Trump’s bullying firmly brushed aside and Xi’s pledge of aid to SCO members, Tianjin may well be remembered as the summit where the Eurasian century began.
