China Welcomes PM Modi’s Visit to Attend SCO Summit in Tianjin

In News – India to Participate in SCO Summit 2025

India has officially announced its participation in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit to be held in Tianjin, China from August 31 to September 1, 2025.

Earlier this year, India also confirmed participation in the SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is leading the delegation.China has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, with the Chinese Foreign Ministry calling the summit a gathering of “solidarity and friendship,” with participation from over 20 countries.

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) — Static + Current Updates 2025

Basic Facts

• Type: Permanent intergovernmental international organisation
• Established: 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China
• Headquarters:
  • SCO Secretariat – Beijing, China
  • Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) – Tashkent, Uzbekistan
• Official Languages: Chinese and Russian

Membership

• Founding Members (2001): China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
• Later Additions:
  • India – 2017
  • Pakistan – 2017
  • Iran – 2023
  • Belarus – 2024 ✅ NEW

Current Members (2025): 10 — China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Belarus

Observers & Dialogue Partners

• Observers: Mongolia, Afghanistan
• Dialogue Partners: Include Turkey, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia (joined March 2023), Egypt, etc.

Significance

• Geography: ~80% of Eurasian landmass
• Population: ~40% of the world population
• Energy: After Iran joined, SCO controls ~20% of global oil reserves and ~44% of global natural gas

Structure

1. Council of Heads of State (CHS) — supreme decision-making body
2. Council of Heads of Government (CHG) — economic & trade focus
3. Council of Foreign Ministers
4. Permanent Bodies:
   • SCO Secretariat (Beijing)
   • RATS Executive Committee (Tashkent)

India’s Role

• Observer: 2005 → Full member: 2017
• Uses SCO for Eurasian engagement, energy security, and counter-terrorism cooperation

Recent Summits

💡 UPSC Prelims Pointers:

• Belarus = 10th member in 2024
• 25th CHS = Tianjin, 2025 | 5th time China hosts
• RATS HQ = Tashkent
• SCO HQ = Beijing
  
  Updated August 8, 2025 – 6:15 PM, Newsonair