SCO summit 2025: From Tianjin to Tiananmen - After diplomacy, China's military might set to take centerstage

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization warned on Monday against reinterpretation of a United Nations resolution endorsing a 2015 Iran nuclear deal, after European powers triggered a mechanism to reimpose UN sanctions on Tehran.

The SCO member states reaffirmed the "binding nature" of the resolution, saying "any attempts to misinterpret or arbitrarily reinterpret this resolution will undermine the authority of the Security Council", according to the final declaration of their summit in Tianjin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a regional summit in China on Monday, the Kremlin said.

The pair are expected to discuss Iran's nuclear programme, with Russia having publicly backed its ally after Britain, France and Germany said last week they would reimpose sanctions over Tehran's non-compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal.

Chinese President Xi Jinping secured an agreement from partner countries to set up a new development bank, realizing a longtime ambition in a display of Beijing’s growing influence.

Members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization agreed to establish the institution, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday at the end of the two-day SCO summit that gathered Xi’s closest international allies in the Chinese port city of Tianjin.

“The initiative to form a development bank of the SCO more than 10 years ago by the Chinese side has finally come to a fruition,” he said at a joint press conference with SCO Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev.

“This will give a strong boost to the infrastructure development and socioeconomic development in SCO countries,” Wang added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, after talking with China's Xi Jinping and India's Narendra Modi, said on Monday the issue of NATO's eastward enlargement would have to be addressed for there to be sustainable peace in Ukraine.

Putin ordered tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting in eastern Ukraine between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops. Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of Ukraine.

Ukraine and Western European powers describe the invasion as a brutal imperial-style land grab. Putin casts the war as a battle with a declining West, which he says humiliated Russia after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 by enlarging NATO eastwards.

It is often said images can have a profound impression. An image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin travelling in the same car to the venue of their (India-Russia) bilateral will certainly been keenly analysed by experts of foreign policy. Read more

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday pressed his vision for a new global security and economic order that prioritises the "Global South", in a direct challenge to the United States, during a summit that included the leaders of Russia and India.

"We must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics, and practise true multilateralism," Xi said, in a thinly veiled swipe at the United States and President Donald Trump's tariff policies.

"Global governance has reached a new crossroads," he added.

Xi was hosting more than 20 leaders of non-Western countries at a summit in the Chinese port city of Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a China-backed initiative given renewed impetus by the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The SCO summit in China's Tianjin, which brought together Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping on the same stage, caught the attention of the world as well as the scruitny of American media as US watches the visible warmth among the three leaders with a sense of unease. Read more

President Xi Jinping said his country will increase investments and loans to partners while outlining a plan to bolster a China- and Russia-led security bloc and boost Beijing’s global clout.

China will provide 2 billion yuan ($275 million) in grants to member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization this year and issue an additional 10 billion yuan in loans to lenders in the group’s interbank consortium over the next three years, Xi said Monday at the SCO summit.

“We should make the pie of cooperation bigger, and fully utilize the endowment of every country so that we can fulfill our responsibility for peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region,” Xi told world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are assembled in the Chinese port city of Tianjin.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, China has emerged as one of the most consequential global gatherings since US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on America’s trading partners, including India. The summit brought together India, Russia, and China on a single platform, delivering powerful images and a message of solidarity as major economies explore ways to cushion themselves against the ripple effects of Washington’s trade war. Read more

Had an excellent meeting with President Putin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tianjin. Discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilisers, space, security and culture. We exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine. Our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership remains a vital pillar of regional and global stability. - PM Modi

Putin meets Turkey's Erdogan in China: Russian state media, reports AFP

In his bilateral meeting with PM Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed happiness over the talks, noting that the SCO serves as a platform to unite countries of the Global South and East. He recalled that December 21, 2025, will mark 15 years since India-Russia relations were elevated to a ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.’ Emphasising the multi-faceted nature of the relationship, Putin said today’s meeting is expected to give a fresh boost to the already strong India-Russia ties.

During his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tianjin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India and Russia have consistently stood “shoulder to shoulder” through the toughest challenges. He added that the partnership between the two nations is vital not only for their people but also for global peace, stability and prosperity.

This time has arrived! The key bilateral between Russian President Vladimir Putin and PM Modi has begun.

"The Member States, while reaffirming their firm commitment to the fight against terrorism, separatism, and extremism, stress the inadmissibility of attempts to use terrorist, separatist and extremist groups for mercenary purposes. They recognise the leading role of sovereign States and their competent authorities in countering terrorist and extremist threats. The Member States strongly condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, stress that double standards in the fight against terrorism are unacceptable, and call on the international community to combat terrorism, including cross-border movement of terrorists," reads the declaration

"The Member States strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the dead and the wounded. They further stated that perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of such attacks must be brought to justice," reads the declaration.

Russian President Vladimir Putin says, "I appreciate China and India's efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine. "I appreciate China and India's efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine," he said while addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO) members session in Tianjin, China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday announced that China will provide 2 billion yuan (approximately 281 million U.S. dollars) in grants to member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) within this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the plenary session of the SCO Summit in Tianjin, China and raised the Pahalgam terror attack issue. PM Modi said, "India has been bearing the brunt of the terrorism for the last four decades. Recently, we saw the worst side of terrorism in Pahalgam. I express my gratitude to the friendly country that stood with us in this hour of grief." (Read More)

India has played a very positive role as a member of the SCO. India's vision and policy for the SCO is based on three important pillars. S - Security, C- Connectivity and O - Opportunity - PM Modi at Day 2 plenary address

PM Modi addressed plenary session on Day 2. In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted that relations with China have moved in “a meaningful direction,” and stressed that “there is a peaceful environment at the borders after disengagement.” Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to state broadcaster CCTV, expressed hope that the Tianjin meeting would “further elevate” ties and “promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday denounced “bullying behaviour” in global affairs as he convened regional leaders for a summit. Addressing counterparts including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi, Xi urged them to uphold fairness and justice while rejecting Cold War thinking, bloc politics, and coercive practices.

SCO summit 2025 Live: 'Interactions in Tianjin continue' - Here's what PM Modi tweeted

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he exchanged perspectives with President Putin and President Xi during the SCO Summit in Tianjin, noting that interactions with global leaders continued on the sidelines of the event.

On the sidelines of the SCO summit, PM Modi met Myanmar’s acting president Min Aung Hlaing. Modi voiced support for free, fair, and inclusive elections in December and reaffirmed India’s backing of a Myanmar-led peace process. The leaders also discussed defence cooperation, border management, and Myanmar’s role in India’s Neighborhood First, Act East, and Indo-Pacific policies.

Amid the summit, Russia’s envoy to international organisations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, described the growing Russia-India-China cooperation as part of a “qualitatively new system of international relations.” His remarks came against the backdrop of US tariffs and global economic uncertainties, highlighting Moscow’s support for closer trilateral coordination.

The Modi–Xi talks built on the positive momentum generated by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s recent visit to India. That visit resulted in agreements on reopening border trade, restoring flights, and measures to maintain frontier stability — signalling efforts to reset relations strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.

In a closely watched meeting, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed that India and China are “partners, not rivals,” agreeing that differences should not become disputes. They discussed restoring economic and people-to-people ties through tourism and direct flights, while stressing the importance of peace along the border. Modi invited Xi to the 2026 BRICS Summit in India, which Xi accepted.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Tianjin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, underscoring India’s efforts to balance ties with major global powers amid shifting geopolitical currents. Their talks set the tone for Modi’s wider engagements during the two-day summit.