Xi, Putin and Modi

China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi are meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as leaders gather for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit that could highlight the changing balance of global power.

The summit brings together countries representing more than 40 per cent of the world’s population and around a quarter of global economic output, giving the gathering significant geopolitical weight.

Security, trade, energy and regional cooperation are expected to dominate discussions. The wars in Ukraine and the Middle East are also shaping the wider diplomatic environment as major powers seek to protect their interests and strengthen strategic partnerships.

China and Russia have increasingly presented the SCO as part of a move towards a more multipolar international system, with greater influence for countries outside the traditional Western-led power structure.

India, however, has maintained a more independent position. New Delhi has strategic relationships with both Moscow and Beijing while also pursuing close ties with Western countries, making Modi’s role at the summit particularly important.

Despite the presence of several major powers, the SCO is not a unified military alliance. Its members have competing interests, while tensions between India, China and Pakistan continue to complicate efforts to build deeper cooperation.

The gathering therefore presents a complicated picture of global politics. While Xi, Putin and Modi can find common ground on issues such as trade, energy and regional security, their broader strategic priorities do not always align.

The key question is whether the Bishkek summit will strengthen the SCO as an influential alternative centre of global power or simply provide a platform for three major countries to pursue their individual interests. Either way, the meeting offers a close look at how international alliances and rivalries are being reshaped.