SYLLABUS

GS-2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: The 26th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State (CHS) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held on 1 September 2026 at the Yrys-Ordo Congress Hall in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, under the chairmanship of President Sadyr Japarov.

More on the News:

• Theme: The theme of this year’s SCO Summit is ‘25 Years of the SCO: Together Towards Sustainable Peace, Development and Prosperity’.

• 25th Anniversary of SCO: This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO, providing an opportunity for leaders to take stock of its progress and exchange views on further strengthening its role in promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region.

• Transfer of Chairmanship: The summit marked the culmination of the Kyrgyz Republic’s SCO chairmanship for 2025–26, with the chairmanship for 2026–27 being handed over to Pakistan.

• Participation: The meeting was attended by leaders of the SCO member states, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, along with the leaders of Belarus, Iran, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Major Outcomes of SCO Summit 2026

• Approval of 28 Documents:A major outcome of the summit was the approval of 28 documents, including the Bishkek Declaration and the Protocol on Amendments and Additions to the SCO Charter. 

• The summit also approved a statement on assistance to states affected by emergencies and other statements covering important areas of SCO cooperation.

• Strengthening Security Cooperation: The SCO approved provisions related to the Universal Centre for Countering Challenges and Threats to the Security of SCO Member States.

• Member states also adopted a Programme of Cooperation in Combating Drug Addiction up to 2030, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and exchange of best practices.

• Expanding International 

Cooperation:The SCO also continued to strengthen its engagement with international and regional organisations. 

• Important developments included the SCO–CSTO–CIS Roadmap, the SCO obtaining observer status at the CIS, and greater cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission, UN Environment Programme and League of Arab States.
• A Memorandum was also signed with the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre.

• Transfer of SCO Chairmanship to Pakistan: The SCO chairmanship for 2026–27 was transferred from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan.

• Pakistan announced the theme of its chairmanship as “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation and Shared Prosperity.”
• The city of Lahore was also designated as the SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026–27.

• SCO Plus Meeting: The SCO Plus Meeting was held alongside the summit under the theme:“The UN as a Key Element of a Just World Order: The Contribution of the SCO Plus States to the Formation of a Multipolar World.”

• It brought together SCO member states, Mongolia as an observer state, dialogue partners such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Laos and Türkiye, and guests including Vietnam and Togo. 

India at SCO Summit 2026

• India’s Vision for the SCO: India’s vision for the SCO focuses on three key pillars: S – Security, C – Connectivity and O – Opportunity. The need to work towards achieving concrete outcomes under these three pillars was emphasised.

• Dialogue, Diplomacy and Terrorism: India reiterated that conflicts cannot be resolved on the battlefield and that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way forward.

• Terrorism was highlighted as a grave threat to humanity, with a call for committed action to dismantle the terror ecosystem and ensure no double standards in the fight against terrorism.
• The importance of peace and stability in Afghanistan for security in the Eurasia region was also highlighted, along with India’s development and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.

• Connectivity and Sovereignty: India advocated strong and trusted connectivity initiatives linking regional markets.However, it emphasised that connectivity projects must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.

• SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum:India will host the first edition of the SCO Civilisation Dialogue Forum later in 2026. 

• It is India’s flagship initiative aimed at promoting civilisational exchanges among SCO member states.

Significance for India

• The SCO remains important for India as a platform for engagement with Central Asia and the wider Eurasian region. 

• For India, the SCO continues to provide an important platform for advancing its interests in Central Asia, Eurasia, regional security and a multipolar international order.

• The inclusion of English in the SCO framework can facilitate India's institutional participation, while cooperation on counter-terrorism, narcotics, energy, climate change, disaster management and AI aligns with several of India's strategic priorities.

• The summit also reinforces India's emphasis on sovereignty-based connectivity, dialogue and diplomacy, and collective action against terrorism.

Challenges

• Despite these institutional and cooperative outcomes, the SCO continues to operate in a complex geopolitical environment marked by regional conflicts, security concerns and divergent interests among member states.

• Differences among members can make it difficult to translate declarations and programmes into effective implementation.

• Therefore, the effectiveness of the summit outcomes will depend largely on sustained coordination and implementation.

Way Forward

• India should focus on converting the SCO's decisions into concrete regional initiatives, particularly in counter-terrorism, narcotics control, energy security, climate cooperation, AI and disaster management.

• Greater engagement with Central Asian countries, stronger institutional participation and trusted connectivity respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity can further enhance India's role in the Eurasian region.

Conclusion

The 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek strengthened India’s engagement with Eurasia through cooperation on security, connectivity, energy, climate, AI and counter-terrorism. India’s priority now is to convert the SCO’s Security, Connectivity and Opportunity vision into tangible outcomes.