SCO leaders adopt Bishkek Declaration, expand cooperation on security, trade, technology

Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states on Tuesday adopted the “Bishkek Declaration”, setting out plans to deepen cooperation on security, trade and technology as the organisation marked its 25th anniversary.

The declaration was adopted at a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in the Kyrgyz capital, bringing together key regional leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The declaration reaffirmed the 10 member states’ commitment to international law and the UN Charter and called for strengthening the UN’s role in maintaining international peace and security and advancing sustainable development.

It also backed what the members described as a more representative and just multipolar world order, while calling for reforms to global governance that would give states a more equal role in decision-making.

The declaration also called for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), reforms to global economic governance and stronger cooperation on sustainable development, while opposing what it described as “double standards”, particularly on human rights.

The group also emphasised the non-military nature of the SCO, saying its members “adhere to an approach that excludes bloc-based and confrontational methods of addressing international and regional development issues”.

Beyond the declaration, leaders signed more than 20 other documents covering security, drug trafficking, technology, transport, energy and environmental cooperation.

The measures included steps to strengthen regional security and counter drug trafficking, expand transport and logistics links, develop AI and digital infrastructure, and deepen cooperation on energy and environmental issues.

The summit also approved closer cooperation between the SCO and the African Union Commission and designated Lahore, Pakistan, as the SCO’s tourism and cultural capital for 2026-2027.

Read: Xi, Modi, Putin to meet in Kyrgyzstan: what to watch at SCO summit

Leaders of the SCO have condemned US and Israeli military strikes on Iran and opposed unilateral sanctions, while backing Tehran’s right to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The grouping, according to Al Jazeera, condemned “military strikes on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, saying the attacks had caused civilian casualties and significant damage to the country’s economy.

The declaration said the US-Israel attacks violated international law and the UN Charter and posed serious risks to international peace, security and stability.

SCO members also expressed condolences to Iran over the death of Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei and reaffirmed their support for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They called for the Iran conflict to be resolved exclusively through political and diplomatic means.

Iran’s nuclear rights

The SCO leaders also backed Iran’s right to develop and use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

They emphasised the “inalienable right” of member states to conduct nuclear research, produce and use atomic energy for peaceful purposes and pursue international cooperation in the field without discrimination.

The declaration said measures restricting these rights were contrary to international law.

The position comes amid longstanding US accusations that Iran has sought to develop nuclear weapons — allegations Tehran has consistently denied.

The issue has become a major point of contention between Washington and Tehran, particularly after the United States and Israel launched military action against Iran.

Modi, Shehbaz spar over terrorism

The summit also saw India and Pakistan trade accusations over terrorism.

Addressing the gathering, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described terrorism as a “grave challenge to all of humanity” and called for an end to what he termed “double standards” in combating militancy.

“We must dismantle the entire ecosystem of terrorist financing, recruitment, radicalisation, and safe havens,” Modi said, calling on countries to reject the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

His remarks were widely interpreted as being directed at Pakistan.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, meanwhile, stressed Pakistan’s sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and reiterated Islamabad’s position that terrorism must be condemned in all its forms and manifestations.

The declaration called for joint action against “terrorism, separatism, and extremism”, while stressing that double standards in the fight against terrorism were unacceptable.

Xi pushes multipolar world

Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the SCO to strengthen security cooperation and promote a more equitable international order, while criticising “hegemony, unilateralism and protectionism”.

Speaking at the summit, Xi said multipolarity was an “irreversible trend” and described sovereign equality and mutual respect as fundamental principles of a multipolar world.

He argued that “multipolarity, independent development paths and democratization of international ties” represented the way forward, while stressing the need to maintain balance, order and the rule of law.

“Dominance by just one or several countries, or bloc politics, are not true multilateralism,” Xi said as reported by Xinhua news agency.

He also called for the authority and vitality of the United Nations to be strengthened and urged major powers to uphold international rules and jointly address global challenges.

“Protectionism and decoupling have no future,” Xi said, calling for the global governance system to move in a more just and equitable direction.

Xi also said China viewed the SCO as a priority platform for cooperation under its Belt and Road Initiative and announced the establishment of a China-SCO basic education cooperation centre.

He further pledged Chinese support for initiatives linked to global development, security, civilisation and governance.

The summit comes amid a series of geopolitical crises, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the US-Israel conflict with Iran and the continuing conflict in Gaza, giving the SCO gathering added significance as its members seek to strengthen cooperation in security, trade, energy and global governance.

Putin calls SCO key force in emerging multipolar world

Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the SCO as the world’s largest regional association, bringing together countries whose combined population accounts for about half of the world’s population.

“The SCO today is in fact the largest regional organisation in the world, where half of the world’s population lives,” Putin said at the organisation’s summit.

The president said the organisation had made significant progress since its establishment 25 years ago and had evolved into an influential centre of the emerging multipolar world.

“Over 25 years, the organisation has come a truly long way,” he said, adding that Russia supported efforts to make the SCO’s work more effective.

He identified strengthening trade among SCO members as one of the organisation’s key priorities, highlighting the growing use of national currencies in mutual settlements.

According to Putin, more than 98 per cent of Russia’s payments in trade with its SCO partners are now conducted in national currencies.

The Bishkek summit took place at a time when some SCO members are in the midst of real wars – the Ukraine and Iran conflicts – or trade wars, with the imposition of US tariffs on Chinese and Indian goods.

This month, the US slapped secondary sanctions on Iran’s trading partners in the sectors of gold, technology, digital assets, aviation and maritime transport, aiming to cripple Tehran’s economy.

Washington has also threatened Iran’s allies with sanctions.

China, a major importer of Iranian oil, responded by saying it would “firmly defend” its interests.

Iran, living under sanctions since its 1979 revolution ended with Islamic authorities taking charge, has regularly said it will not cave to economic pressure.

But Iran‘s President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged his country faces “economic difficulties”.

Iran only joined the bloc in 2023.

But concrete benefits of the group are uncertain, he said, as “in times of crisis, these alliances have rarely allowed Iran to resolve its difficulties”.

While the bloc claims to represent some 40 percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of global GDP, it remains diverse, with disagreements among members.

Bishkek Declaration sets new course for SCO

The SCO adopted a series of agreements and initiatives at its 25th anniversary summit, expanding its cooperation agenda into security, technology and environmental issues.

Among the major documents signed at the summit was the Bishkek Declaration, marking the 25th anniversary of the SCO.

The summit also adopted a protocol on amendments and additions to the SCO Charter of June 7, 2002.

On security, the member states signed a declaration on strengthening multilateral partnership for nuclear and physical security.

They also approved a cooperation programme on combating drug addiction through 2030 and a programme to coordinate measures against the spread of synthetic drugs and their precursors through 2030.

On information security, the summit adopted a cooperation plan on ensuring international information security for 2026-2028.

The member states also endorsed an initiative and joint action plan on the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity for 2026-2031.

A cooperation programme on establishing an SCO “Green Technology Corridor” for 2026-2030 was also adopted.

The summit further approved a roadmap for developing ports and logistics centres of SCO member states for 2026-2030.

On technology and artificial intelligence, the member states adopted a concept for developing regional data centres, computing capacity and the artificial intelligence industry within the SCO framework.

They also signed a memorandum among SCO governments on cooperation in combating climate change and another memorandum on cooperation in artificial intelligence.

The summit approved a protocol amending the 2010 SCO agreement on cooperation in combating crime.

The member states also issued statements on developing cooperation in energy conservation, energy efficiency and energy systems, as well as on assisting states affected by emergency situations.

The summit also designated Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s largest province, as the SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-2027.

What is the SCO?

The SCO traces its roots to the “Shanghai Five,” established in 1996 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to reduce military tensions and address border disputes following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Uzbekistan joined when the SCO was formally established in 2001, and the grouping remained largely centred on China, Russia and Central Asia for much of its early history.

Its international profile grew significantly as it expanded. India and Pakistan became full members in 2017, followed by Iran in 2023 and Belarus in 2024.

For Iran, membership marked a major diplomatic opening after years of geopolitical isolation, while Belarus’s accession reflected its broader pivot toward non-Western partners

The SCO comprises 10 member states: Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Together, SCO members have a population of around 3.4 billion, span a vast stretch of Eurasia and account for around 25% of global GDP.

Unlike NATO, the SCO is not a military alliance, nor is it an economic union like the EU. Instead, its consensus-based structure provides a forum for security cooperation, economic ties and diplomacy among countries that do not necessarily share the same interests.

The SCO enters its second quarter-century as economic activity shifts toward Asia, supply chains are reconfigured, and countries seek new trade and diplomatic partnerships.

Pakistan would take over the SCO chairmanship from Kyrgyzstan and host the next meeting of the Council of Heads of State in 2027.