Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to participate in the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin, China, from August 31 to September 1, 2025. The summit, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, will also gather Russian President Vladimir Putin, marking a significant assembly of global leaders amidst a geopolitically tense environment. This will be the fifth SCO summit hosted by China, underscoring India’s pivotal role in the regional grouping, having joined in 2017.

The SCO, an organisation of 10 member countries including India, China, Russia, and Pakistan, was originally founded to combat the "three evils" of terrorism, separatism, and extremism. It remains a vital platform for regional security and cooperation across Eurasia. Prime Minister Modi is expected to contribute actively to discussions on enhancing regional cooperation, economic integration, and collective action to counter security threats, with leaders also set to approve a development strategy for the SCO for the next 10 years.

On the sidelines, Prime Minister Modi will engage in several bilateral meetings with other SCO leaders to strengthen ties, advance regional stability, and promote trade and economic partnerships. Xi Jinping's hosting of Modi and Putin is widely regarded as a significant demonstration of Global South solidarity during a period marked by tariff pressures and geopolitical challenges posed by the Trump administration.