The Media Line: Iran Rallies SCO Toward ‘Look East’ Bloc as Xi and Putin Turn on West

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Iran Rallies SCO Toward ‘Look East’ Bloc as Xi and Putin Turn on West 

Leaders from India, Pakistan, and more than 20 countries joined Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and others in Tianjin to discuss terrorism, trade, and regional stability 

By Arshad Mehmood/The Media Line 

[ISLAMABAD] — Leaders from more than 20 countries gathered in northern China for the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where calls for multipolarity, economic collaboration, and security cooperation dominated discussions. The three-day meeting, which concluded Monday, brought together heads of state and government from China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Belarus, and other member and partner nations, making it the largest gathering in the bloc’s history. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping used the occasion to frame the SCO as a pillar of global stability and a model for international cooperation. He pledged $280 million in aid to member states this year, alongside $1.4 billion in loans through an SCO banking consortium, while urging members to deepen ties in energy, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and science. 

“We should advocate for equal and orderly multipolarization of the world, inclusive economic globalization, and promote the construction of a more just and equitable global governance system,” Xi told delegates in Tianjin. He praised the SCO’s treaty of long-term good-neighborliness, which commits members to lasting friendship and renunciation of hostilities. 

China’s Expanding Role 

Since its founding in 2001, the SCO has evolved from a regional security grouping into a platform that now includes China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and several Central Asian states, with dialogue partners ranging from Turkey to Qatar. Xi described the SCO as “a model for a new type of international relations,” portraying it as an alternative to Western-led alliances such as NATO and the G7. 

Beijing’s hosting of the summit in Tianjin reflected its determination to expand China’s diplomatic and economic reach. Analysts say the summit also reinforced Xi’s vision of China as a counterweight to Western power, particularly at a time when global trade faces disruption from conflicts in Europe and the Middle East. 

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly’s attendance demonstrated the organization’s growing global reach. Egypt, which became a dialogue partner in 2022, participated at the summit’s highest level for the first time, signaling Arab interest in deepening ties with Eurasia. 

Putin Targets the West 

Russian President Vladimir Putin used his address to accuse NATO and Western governments of provoking the war in Ukraine. He pressed SCO members to expand economic cooperation independent of Western systems, proposing joint bonds, a unified payment network, and the creation of a new bank for collective investment projects. 

Putin pointed to the growing use of national currencies in bilateral trade as a positive development. “These steps will reduce reliance on Western financial systems,” he said. 

The Russian leader’s remarks highlighted Moscow’s strategy of leaning on partnerships with China and SCO states to blunt the impact of sanctions and isolation imposed by the US and Europe. 

India Stresses Terrorism, Reform 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told the summit that terrorism must be confronted without double standards. “No double standards on terror will be acceptable,” he said, stressing the need for consistent international action against extremist groups. 

Modi laid out India’s priorities for the SCO as “security, connectivity, and opportunity,” emphasizing reforms within the SCO and broader international institutions, including the United Nations. He proposed new centers to tackle organized crime, drug trafficking, and cybersecurity. 

India’s participation came months after its border war with Pakistan in May 2025, which ended in a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump. Modi’s refusal to mention Pakistan directly reflected the delicate balance at the summit, where both sides leveled accusations without engaging in bilateral dialogue. 

Pakistan Calls for Dialogue 

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged regional diplomacy, saying dialogue and cooperation were the only durable path to stability. “Terrorism, separatism, and extremism pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the SCO region. Pakistan condemns all forms of terrorism, including state-sponsored terrorism,” he said. 

Sharif added that Islamabad has “irrefutable evidence of foreign involvement in the Jafar Express train hostage incident and terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” Like Modi, Sharif avoided naming India, though his remarks left little doubt about whom he meant. 

Pakistan has long accused India of backing separatist groups inside its territory, while India blames Pakistan for harboring armed organizations that target Indian forces. 

A Stage for Old Rivalries 

The presence of both Modi and Sharif at the summit drew attention, given the proximity of their countries’ most recent war. While observers speculated about possible gestures of reconciliation, neither side signaled a thaw. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry had already said in advance that no bilateral meeting would occur. 

The summit did little to ease tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals. Instead, it showcased the SCO’s approach of avoiding direct mediation of bilateral disputes, focusing instead on collective themes like economic cooperation and security. 

Rumors and Symbolism 

In the days leading up to the summit, speculation swirled that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un might attend. While Kim did not join the Tianjin sessions, Chinese officials confirmed he would attend the People’s Liberation Army parade later in the week to mark the anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. Putin is also expected at that event, raising the prospect of a rare public appearance by three leaders often critical of US policies. 

The symbolism is not lost on Washington, which has viewed the SCO warily since its inception. While the organization avoids describing itself as anti-US, its collective rhetoric often criticizes unilateralism and Western dominance. 

Experts Weigh In 

Analysts interviewed by The Media Line offered nuanced interpretations of the summit. 

Erik Lehmkuhle, a political analyst based in Atlanta, argued that the SCO should not be seen as designed to exclude Washington. “The SCO Conference could prove pivotal on the global stage,” he said. “But framing it solely as an anti-US platform risks obscuring its broader ambitions—particularly its focus on connectivity, trade, and stability across Eurasia.” 

Lehmkuhle noted that with President Trump seeking to end the Russia-Ukraine war, SCO members could press Putin toward a deal, though divisions within the group limit its leverage. “Trade relations are tense globally; however, the SCO conference can minimize the pressure on several of the attending nations,” he added. 

Aimen Jamil, an Islamabad-based strategic affairs analyst, told The Media Line that the summit provided “a rare opportunity for indirect engagement” between Pakistan and India but could not bridge their core disputes. “China’s close alignment with Pakistan, alongside its own border standoff with India, limits its ability to act as a neutral facilitator,” she said. 

Jamil also noted Iran’s efforts to use the SCO to advance its “Look East” strategy and to push back against Western sanctions, while Egypt’s debut broadened the group’s reach into the Arab world. 

Muhammad Shareh Qazi, a foreign policy analyst from Lahore, told The Media Line that the SCO offered “another mechanism to create off-ramps for regional crises and conflicts.” Yet he cautioned that Beijing was unlikely to mediate major disputes, preferring stability over intervention. 

“While the SCO may not achieve a breakthrough, it can still provide a platform for dialogue,” Qazi said, adding that a modest breakthrough could occur if China and India moved toward limited cooperation in trade or climate issues. 

Broader Context 

The SCO was created in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to address security concerns in Central Asia. Since then, it has expanded to include India and Pakistan, with Iran joining as a full member in 2023. Its dialogue partners now stretch across the Middle East, including Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt. 

The bloc represents nearly half the world’s population and a third of global GDP, though it remains more a forum for dialogue than a unified alliance. Unlike NATO or the European Union, the SCO has no collective defense structure or binding economic framework. Instead, it functions as a loose coalition seeking to balance Western power by offering alternative networks for cooperation. 

China has increasingly used the SCO to advance its Belt and Road Initiative, pushing infrastructure projects across Eurasia. Russia, isolated by the Ukraine war, sees the organization as an economic lifeline and diplomatic platform. India, meanwhile, participates while maintaining its independence, wary of China’s dominance but eager to prevent isolation. 

Outcomes and Outlook 

The Tianjin summit ended without dramatic breakthroughs but reinforced the SCO’s role as a stage for Eurasian cooperation and a sounding board for non-Western perspectives. Leaders pledged to deepen ties in trade, finance, and cultural exchanges, while reiterating their opposition to terrorism and unilateral sanctions. 

Whether the SCO can move from symbolism to substantive action remains uncertain. Persistent rivalries between members—India and Pakistan, China and India, Russia and Central Asia—limit its ability to present a unified front. Yet its sheer size and expanding partnerships give it weight in shaping global debates. 

For China, hosting the largest SCO summit to date demonstrated its determination to present itself as a convener of the Global South. For Russia, it was a chance to rally allies as its war in Ukraine grinds on. For Pakistan and India, it was an uneasy reminder of their unresolved disputes. 

As the SCO looks ahead, its ability to influence global governance will depend on whether its members can overcome internal divisions and translate ambitious rhetoric into practical cooperation.